Syracuse Mayoral Race | Tom Babilon | Babilon for Mayor of Syracuse

Policies & Vision

I have seen the same mistakes made by three different administrations.

No Tax or Fee Increases

The City has suffered too long under Sharon Owens’endless thirst to increase taxes, fees and costs. City homeowners and businesses deserve tax relief and I will deliver it

Its Time To Clean Up Downtown

I will create a vibrant downtown where people want to live and work, and where businesses want to open. Aggressive panhandlers, the mentally ill, and those camping on city sidewalks and parks will be removed and directed towards applicable services. We need to clean up downtown and I vow to do just that.

Public Safety As A Priority

My administration will have full transparency regarding city expenditures and contracts. No more lying to Council, no-bid backdoor bids, or wasted taxpayer money on contracts for nothing, or that produce no results.My administration will re-create joint SPD / Sheriff task force units to address gang and drug activity. We will implement neighborhood policing initiatives creating reoccurring interaction between the same officers and members of the community. I will maximize police resources by eliminating police desk jobs, thereby putting more cops on the streets. The City will form an auxiliary police program to respond to non-priority calls that now go unanswered.

Restore City Hall

My administration will have full transparency regarding city expenditures and contracts. The days of Walsh /Owens lying to Council, no-bid contracts, and wasted taxpayer money on contracts that produce no results will be gone. I’ll reduce costs wherever possible and collect funds due to the city. I pledge to audit the expenditures of the last administration and eliminate any wasteful spending.

I will make Syracuse the friendliest city to small business in NY. On day one, my administration will examine every fee, license and regulation that negatively affects small business and eliminate every one that is burdensome, unnecessary or duplicative. City Hall will no longer bully small businesses over petty things.

Smart Development in the Shadow of I-81

It is important that the highly valuable property reclaimed by the demolition of I-81 be used for is highest and best use. Over 50% of the property in the city is currently exempt from property taxes. Development in the reclaimed land should focused on commercial uses that take advantage of the high traffic area to produce increased tax revenue for the City. Tax exempt uses should be discouraged.

Budget

The current administration has increased City expenditures by over 57 million dollars and expects to draw another 27 million dollars from the rainy day fund to cover the current budget deficit. My administration will examine every aspect of the City budget and reduce costs through consolidation of services and through the elimination of wasteful spending.

Savings Through Consolidation

The City should not be in the business of managing this necessary resource. Our outdated infrastructure is plagued by leaking reservoirs, lead pipes, low water pressure and hundreds of annual water main explosions. While at the same time water fees increase annually. Politics and lack of investment is the reason behind our crumbling infrastructure. Water fees are deposited in the general fund and are not reinvested. Water policy is also directed by politics and there is no consistency even within the same administration. We need to get politics out of our water and save money at the same time. OCWA is dedicated solely to providing its customers with a safe, economical and reliable water supply. As Mayor I will pursue every avenue to consolidate our water department with OCWA so that at a lower cost we can receive the same safe and consistent water delivery as our county neighbors.

Columbus Statue

The Statue should remain; it is a City landmark. The Onondagas should be given the opportunity to erect a competing statue on the adjacent park land. Free speech is an important liberty. We should be able to discuss history from different positions without erasing it.