SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)— “Ugh,” groaned Betty of Onondaga Hill, as her car struck yet another pothole while she traveled down Salina Street in Syracuse. As an Uber driver, she depends on her 2011 Jeep Compass for her main source of income, and Betty says Syracuse’s damaged, pothole-ridden roads have ranked up a hefty bill in car repairs.
“Right now, I can hear something rattling and I know I didn’t have that a couple days ago., she said. “I think it’s because I’m constantly going around where the roads are bad. There’s a lot of potholes and you can’t miss them all.”
The mayor said citizens made it clear that roads need fixing. This is why his budget proposal includes funding for road and pothole repairs.
“We are making strategic investments that are addressing the services that we hear regularly from our constituents, ” explained Walsh. “So, we will be able to repair more roads, [and] repair more potholes.”
Citizens have already begun petitioning certain roads as a priority for repairs including Grant Boulevard, Lemoyne Avenue and Berkley Drive.
If the Council passes the mayor’s proposal, funding for these road repairs will come from a 3.5% property tax increase—the first tax increase in eight years.
Aside from roads, the mayor said he prioritized funding for the Boys & Girls Clubs and restore staffing to Westmoreland Park.
The mayor hopes this focus on the city’s youth will “keep more kids off the streets and more involved in positive activities.”
The mayor’s budget proposal totaled $252.5 million. He said he wanted to focus on Syracuse’s economy, city services, and neighborhoods.
