Rich McCarron, a Republican, is the incumbent representing the Onondaga County Legislature’s 11th District. He is running unopposed. 

McCarron is a former Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office deputy and currently works in real estate. He joined the legislature in March 2023. He is the vice chair of the legislature’s Public Safety and Health and Human Services committees. 

Richard McCarron, a Republican is the incumbent legislator for the Onondaga County Legislature’s 11th District. He is running unopposed. Credit: Courtesy of Onondaga County

Central Current: How will you make up for the potential lack of funding for the aquarium?

Richard McCarron: There will be no more public funds put towards the aquarium. I think the Legislature has made that abundantly clear. The County Executive knows it as well, and I think any additional funding that comes for the aquarium will be through naming rights and private donations, much like the Rosamond Gifford Zoo Foundation has done, the Aquarium Foundation will certainly cover any additional funding needs. 

CC: How will you handle the loss of funding to services like SNAP and Medicaid?

McCarron: I don’t think it’s gonna get to a point where it becomes a critical issue for Onondaga County. 

You know, I’m more concerned with being responsible with our spending than I am about losing funding, because the reality of it is these funds will come back at some point. We haven’t — we’re gonna be able to provide the necessary services to Onondaga County residents despite whatever happens at the federal level. 

CC: The Legislature passed two resolutions to transfer a parcel of land along Onondaga Lake to the Onondaga Nation. As a legislator, do you believe you have a role in facilitating a transfer? If so, what is that role?

McCarron: I have great respect for the Haudenosaunee people of the Onondaga Nation. 

In my time as Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputy, I spent a large portion of my career patrolling the town of Onondaga. I have an excellent working relationship with the chiefs and the clan mothers, and I respect them and their heritage. 

I am excited to see that the aquarium project will include, you know, the history of the lake and the history of the Haudenosaunee people there. 

I think that whatever resolutions were made prior to my tenure here on the legislature, obviously should be honored, and we should do whatever we can to facilitate that. 

CC: In a hypothetical scenario where federal funding for Onondaga County is conditioned on the basis of the County Sheriff’s Office cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, would you be in favor of supporting that collaboration? Why or why not?

McCarron: So, I don’t like answering hypothetical questions, I’ll tell you that right now. 

But I believe law enforcement’s role is to protect our community and to enforce laws. Federal law enforcement will enforce federal laws, and state and local law enforcement will enforce state and local laws. 

I don’t foresee a time where our sheriff will partner with ICE, based on the comments he’s made, but I do believe we should be supporting law enforcement at all levels and protecting them. 

CC: As Micron ramps up, how do you plan to monitor and ensure that Micron lives up to its promises to protect Central New York’s bountiful natural life?

McCarron: I think we’re working on that right now. 

I think the way we’re releasing funding for projects like sewer allows us to maintain some oversight, if you will. 

I have absolute confidence that this Micron project is going to be transformational for our community. I think the economic development project, the planning division, and the foresight of our county executive now, and county executives going back to Nick Pirro, has really been nothing short of inspirational. I mean, to create this opportunity for Central New York and New York as a whole is something we never could have imagined twenty years ago. 

But I have no concerns over Micron building and truly changing the workforce and what we do here in Central New York, and it’s good to bring some of that industry here, after losing so many manufacturing companies, the {WHAT} plants, after losing Carrier. These are great, high paying tech jobs that will attract people back to Upstate New York or to stay in Upstate New York. 

CC: If ICE approaches Onondaga County and requests sensitive information to aid in what it says is a “criminal investigation” – and refuses to provide more details – should Onondaga County furnish sensitive data from a department like DSS to federal authorities with unclear motives?

McCarron: I would say that’s a discretionary matter for the county executive. The legislature has no governing jurisdiction over that. 

That would be a matter for the county executive’s office to decide, and if it’s related to data in the sheriff’s department, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services oversees what information can and cannot be shared, so nowhere in that situation does the legislature have purview over that. 

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Laura Robertson is a staff reporter covering Onondaga County. Prior to joining Central Current, she lived on the edge of the Bering Strait in Nome, Alaska, where she worked as a reporter for a year. She...