New York is well known for government. We have lots of it. Central New York is no exception, and that’s why I’m proud that Onondaga County is the first in the state to examine whether we have the best structure and the best practices for our governance. Together, we have a unique opportunity to shape […]
New York is well known for government. We have lots of it. Central New York is no exception, and that’s why I’m proud that Onondaga County is the first in the state to examine whether we have the best structure and the best practices for our governance. Together, we have a unique opportunity to shape the future of Syracuse and Onondaga County and now is the time for all of us to get involved.
Consensus, the commission on local government modernization, has released its “Preliminary Baseline Review: Who Does What & What it Costs” and is about to kick off a series of vital community conversations about the future of local governance. I strongly encourage you to join Consensus on Wednesday, March 11, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. at the City Hall Commons Atrium for this kick-off event to share your thoughts and perspectives. This session will feature a special presentation by Dr. Joseph Stefko, CEO of the Center for Governmental Research, detailing the commission’s findings on Onondaga County’s local government structure, costs, and benefits.
Through the work of Consensus, this community is undertaking the most honest of civic self-examinations and our recommendations will serve as a blueprint for other communities across the state.
I would like to thank the Consensus co-chairs, Neil Murphy, former president of SUNY-ESF; Catherine Richardson, retired attorney from Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC; James Walsh, former U.S. Congressman, and government affairs counselor at K&L Gates LLP. The work that they and other commission partners have completed to date is significant, and they remain committed to creating an inclusive process that engages all of our community stakeholders.
At the end of this year, Consensus will release its full set of recommendations. We all share a stake in those outcomes and therefore have a responsibility to be active participants in this process. If you cannot attend a public meeting, you can still share your priorities and ideas for improvement by emailing the commission at info@consensuscny.com.
Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This editorial is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter the organization sent out on Feb. 26.
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Did you know Onondaga county has?
- One city, 15 villages, and 19 town government entities
- 36 elected executives and 174 elected legislators
- 28 justice courts: 19 town and 9 village
- Three property-tax-assessment units merged into “Coordinated Assessment Programs” (Camillus/Elbridge, Fabius/Pompey, Lysander/VanBuren)
- 17 property-tax-assessment units, based primarily at the town and city level
- 58 fire departments with coverage areas ranging from 1 to 38 miles
- 36 public works departments; the smallest is responsible for one mile of road; the largest 794 miles
- Onondaga County is highly interconnected — 69 percent of residents commute every day to a different community for work
