Syracuse, NY — Syracuse lawmakers are winding down the month-long process to dissect $919 million in proposed spending for the city and its school district, and the time has arrived to hear from residents.
A public hearing on the combined city and schools budget is set for 5:30 pm Wednesday at the Van B. Robinson Common Council Chambers, Syracuse City Hall, 233 E. Washington St.
Since Mayor Ben Walsh submitted the combined budget to the Syracuse Common Council on April 8, the councilors have been meeting with department heads and school officials to ask questions. They must approve a final plan by May 8. If councilors plan to make amendments to the mayor’s proposal, those will likely be voted on at the next regular meeting scheduled for Monday, May 6.
The city’s portion of the budget is $341 million, a 9.7% increase. The school district’s $578 million proposal, approved by the board of education last week, raises spending by 10.9%.
The combined budgets’ use of property tax revenue would increase by 6.7%. Because of higher property assessments, that translates into a 2% increase in the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value. For a $100,000 property, the annual taxes would go up by $55.
The budget also would increase city water and sewer rates, with a typical residential customer paying about $5 more per year for water and $15 for sewer.
City reporter Jeremy Boyer can be reached at [email protected](315) 657-5673, Twitter or Facebook.
