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    Mayor Walsh To House and Senate Leadership On Federal Assistance

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    chrsbakr
    Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh penned a letter to Congressional leaders asking for financial aid to cities like Syracuse

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    Mayor Walsh To House and Senate Leadership On Federal Assistance

    Uploaded by

    chrsbakr
    6K views2 pages
    Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh penned a letter to Congressional leaders asking for financial aid to cities like Syracuse

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    Mayor Walsh to House and Senate Leadership on Federal Assistance

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    Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh penned a letter to Congressional leaders asking for financial aid to cities like Syracuse

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    6K views2 pages

    Mayor Walsh To House and Senate Leadership On Federal Assistance

    Uploaded by

    chrsbakr
    Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh penned a letter to Congressional leaders asking for financial aid to cities like Syracuse

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

    MAYOR BEN WALSH

    May 8, 2020

    The Honorable Nancy Pelosi


    Speaker of the House
    United State House of Representatives
    H-232, U.S. Capitol
    Washington, DC 20515

    The Honorable Mitch McConnell


    Majority Leader
    United States Senate
    317 Russell Senate Office Building
    Washington, DC 20510

    Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McConnell,

    I write to you with an understanding of the unprecedented challenge you face in making
    federal support available to the many millions of Americans in need of relief from the
    impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also write with confidence that providing assistance
    to the City of Syracuse will be a wise investment in the recovery of our nation.
    Syracuse is a city of nearly 143,000 people located in the heart of New York State. While
    we suffered decades of decline in the latter part of the 20th century, Syracuse’s fortunes
    have begun to change in recent years. I am proud to say that Syracuse was the only big
    city in New York State to achieve population growth in the most recent census projection.
    We are New York State’s Flagship Smart City and under a strategy we call, “The Syracuse
    Surge,” we’re making major investments in technology, education, and workforce
    development to position our residents to succeed in the Fourth Industrial revolution.
    Microsoft, Verizon Wireless and JP Morgan Chase Bank are major corporations investing
    in Syracuse and our forward-thinking plan.
    Despite the challenges in our past, Syracuse is now on a path toward fiscal sustainability.
    Office of the Mayor
    We have a modest fund balance that represents about 20% of our budget. Heading into
    233 E. Washington St.
    201 City Hall March, we were on pace to end the current fiscal year with a small surplus.
    Syracuse, N.Y. 13202
    The measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 have dealt our city a severe blow. Against
    Office 315 448 8005 an annual city budget of approximately $250 million, we estimate a loss in revenue of tens
    Fax 315 448 8067 of millions of dollars in the next 14 months. We have also been advised to plan for at least
    www.syrgov.net a 20% cut in state aid. These reductions are before calculating millions more in higher
    expenses and in lost local fees and income from reduced economic activity.

    GROWTH. DIVERSITY. OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL.


    Topic: City of Syracuse Request for Federal Assistance Page 2

    Last week, I was forced to put more than 100 city workers on temporary leave without pay to achieve
    immediate cost reductions. In addition, since our charter requires that we achieve a balanced budget,
    we will be forced to make a major draw from our reserve for this fiscal year. Earlier this week, our
    Common Council approved a budget for the next fiscal year that relies on the sale of city real estate
    assets and a cut in funding to our police department to hold off an even more precarious reliance on
    our reserves.
    Regrettably, these actions will not be enough to prevent service and staff reductions that will
    negatively impact city residents and essential local government workers. It is only through direct aid
    from the federal government to cover expenses and offset lost revenue due to COVID -19 that Syracuse
    can avoid such harmful actions.
    Local governments like the City of Syracuse provide the foundations for communities and regions, and
    with strong foundations we can build back our economy. Syracuse is a community that can provide
    such a solid base to local small businesses, non-profits and large employers to begin growing again.
    With support from the federal government, Syracuse will be able to resume its positive trajectory and
    help our nation recover more quickly from COVID-19.
    With urgency and respect, I ask for timely action on federal relief to state and local governments.

    Sincerely,

    Ben Walsh
    Mayor

    Cc: Hon. Charles Schumer, U.S. Senate, Minority Leader


    Hon. Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senate
    Hon. Kevin McCarthy, U.S. House of Representatives, Minority Leader
    Hon. John Katko, U.S House of Representatives
    Hon. Helen Hudson, Syracuse Common Council, President
    Hon. J. Ryan McMahon, II, Onondaga County Executive

    GROWTH. DIVERSITY. OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL.

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