Education
Syracuse Common Council Withdraws Proposals, Including Good Cause Eviction and New Children's Center
Syracuse Common Council Fails to Pass Key Legislative Measures in Recent Session
During their most recent session, the Syracuse Common Council was unable to pass several significant legislative proposals, including the construction of a new children's center and the implementation of Good Cause Eviction laws. The council voted five to four to withdraw the Good Cause Eviction proposal, which had been on the agenda since mid-2024. The legislation aimed to place limits on rent increases and require landlords to provide a reason for eviction notices. Councilor Jimmy Monto expressed surprise at the vote but emphasized that it does not signal the end of the conversation. He believes the pause could provide the city with more time for reflection.
"I think it might just be a pause," Monto said. "There's a lot of stuff going on in the city, it's not our only issue. I want people to remember that."
The withdrawal of plans for the new children's center is more complicated. Councilor Pat Hogan voiced frustration with the current city administration’s accountability, which he believes may have contributed to the breakdown in agreements for the center's construction. This situation follows tensions within City Hall over the rollout of a new $10 million IT system, which Hogan also criticized, pointing to management challenges under the current administration.
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"I think there's been a lot of laxity under this particular administration as far as management goes," Hogan said. "Sometimes, mayors have to be more accountable. The ones I worked for were very accountable. They made sure projects were completed on time and addressed any concerns from the community directly."
An audit is currently underway to investigate the implementation of the new IT system. Hogan described this situation as a unique challenge for the council.
"This is unprecedented, in my opinion," Hogan added. "In my history, the council has really taken control of an investigative part of an issue with the city department."
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