Onondaga County Budget Approved

by Lauren Fabrizi (NCC News)

Oct. 13, 2010, 4:27 p.m.


SYRACUSE, N.Y.- The Onondaga County Legislature approved a $1.15 billion budget Tuesday night that will drastically reduce the county's property taxes for next year.

County legislators approved the 2011 budget 15-3 just after 10 p.m. Thomas Buckel, Marty Masterpole and Monica Williams were the only legislators to vote against the budget, Robert D. Warner, a county legislator, said.

$45 million were cut from County Executive Joanie Mahoney's proposed budget, which will aid in the reduction of the county's property taxes, Warner said. However, many of the county's towns will still see an increase in taxes, despite this drastic cut.

The residents of Warner's district, the 13th district, will not be content, Warner said. Yet Warner voted in favor of the budget because his district will see only a 78 percent increase in taxes, while Mahoney's proposed budget would allow a 135 percent increase.

"I don't like it, but the alternative, which was the county executive's budget, was worse," Warner said. "So that's why I voted in favor of the budget."

Although Warner says the budget is not "perfect," he believes it to be "solid," as it encompasses many positive aspects for Onondaga County.

The legislature has voted to:

• fund 12 of 29 deputy sheriff positions that were initially going to be cut


• keep the County Sheriff's A1 helicopter in flight for another six months


• restore $100,000 in funding for the Landmark Theatre, historic movie theater, and performing arts center in downtown Syracuse

Warner is confident that Onondaga County will continue to thrive under the new budget.

"The county is still strong because of this budget," Warner said. "The community has survived quite well. And the city of Syracuse is going to do okay with this budget."

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