Jessica Dapson is running to represent the Onondaga County Legislature’s 14th District. Her opponent, Cody Kelly, has been in the legislature since he was appointed to his seat in 2021. Dapson is running on the Democrat and Working Families Party line. 

Central Current sent Dapson 11 questions about housing, immigration, data centers, agriculture, and more. Here are her responses. 

Central Current: With Micron moving in, politicians from every part of the political spectrum have emphasized the importance of building more housing. What is your vision for increasing housing in Onondaga County, and what role (if any) should the county play in doing so?

Jessica Dapson: From a planning perspective to zoning regulations to emergency housing, counties play a vital role, as far as I’m concerned, when it comes to the issue of housing. Our county, given the number of those who are unhoused or housed but currently seeking more affordable housing, must lead the way in figuring out this conundrum. 

I have attended meetings and spoken to people from all walks of life and understand how dire the housing situation is. Up until I wed and moved in with my husband (who bought our house about six months before we met), I was a life-long renter, so like others, I experienced first-hand how frustrating and difficult it can be to secure affordable housing. 

As one of the two candidates running in District 14, which is “the Micron district,” I have no reservation in saying that I view the future of housing as heading in a different direction. The home I now live in with my children and husband (homeowner), along with our pets, is just over 1,000 square feet and we are the second family to live in our home. Located in the south-end of District 14, which is just about an eight-minute drive from the city, we have a small, but decent-sized backyard, and all share just one very small bathroom. This housing concept, popular in constructing neighborhoods just after World War II, is outdated, as the trend in the suburbs of Onondaga County since the mid-1950s, seems to have gone from affordable, minimalist homes to raised ranches that maintain the small backyards, to the most recent larger, more spacious homes with sprawling front lawns and pretty big backyards. 

Moving forward, given the housing crisis, what this county needs are very different models of housing. And hopefully a growing number of people will be on-board with this transformation. Quadplexes need to replace duplexes and multi-family housing complexes are necessary as we look forward to the future. We have elderly residents of low, medium, and high income levels who often struggle to find suitable housing that allows for social interaction. And we have couples, as well as single moms (and dads), who deserve housing with playgrounds at a reasonable cost. And maybe even access to a swimming pool on site with proper fencing for safety. 

As a resident of Clay for 13 years now, I have two, local options when it comes to taking my children swimming. I can pay $200 for my family to obtain a “pool pass” at Kennedy Park pool in North Syracuse, as we live just two blocks outside of the village, and for $4 once or twice a week, we can enjoy public, family swim at Liverpool High School, as we are Town of Clay residents. Simply put, we need to make effective, logical use of the space we have, while reserving ample land for farming and wildlife. And the county can guide this process, while zoning is left to the towns.

CC: Transparency has been a major talking point in the legislature this year – from donor transparency around the aquarium to concerns that each caucus brings things to the floor without giving the other advance notice. Where would you like to see more transparency in county government, and what can the legislature do to enforce it? 

JD: I am in favor of seeing an increase in transparency in county government ALL AROUND. Nothing can be lost, as far as I’m concerned, from maintaining transparency in county government. And we have already started to do this since gaining a Democratic majority in our county legislature. 

As far as actions our legislature can take, it’s already in the works and happening: meetings have been shifting to evening time-slots, so that the public has a greater opportunity to attend. Disclosing expenses and “deals” made can also keep the public informed. Our aquarium, in terms of a project, is a great example of why this matters. If all aspects of local government operate with transparency, then trust in our government and community builds. And from this, “the people”–a term I often use to refer to marginalized, as well as lower and middle-class, citizens–will benefit greatly in all kinds of ways. 

CC: As thousands of Onondaga County refugees and residents lose their access to SNAP benefits, what should the county’s role be in ensuring access to food?

JD: Food is a human right. The late Anthony Bourdain once said, “Food is everything we are…ethnic feeling, your personal history…your tribe.” 

Yet our county is home to one of the top highest poverty rates in our state; according to CNY Vitals, 40 percent of Syracuse’s children live in poverty. Too many of our children wonder where the food is and surely too many city residents have to travel farther than others in our county to shop for food. Laura Roberts with Central Current reported in June of this year that over 6,100 of our refugee population were at-risk of losing snap benefits. I find this statistic highly concerning, as I have first-hand experience with refugee populations. When I was in college, back in the late 90s, I worked as a cashier at a grocery store in East Utica (out in Oneida County) and served a great number of Bosnian refugees. These people came here from communities ravished by war. I became friends with a family who, upon inviting me into their home for both meals & occasional lodging, taught me both the pride and struggles that refugee households commonly experience. 

USRAP–U.S. Refugee Admissions Program–welcomes people who are forced out of their homelands and provides relief for them. These traumatized people, many of whom are the elderly and children, are provided with help in food, housing, and job searches. That’s what I assisted refugees with…their WIC benefits, as many were mothers of young children and infants. Our county government, along with philanthropic hands and nonprofits, need to be sure that these families have their basic needs met. Rebuilding is hard enough as it is, but doing so without enough food and suitable housing makes it nearly impossible. 

We are a great state and fully-developed nation…it should be considered nothing but an honor to help those who are in the most desperate of situations. “Changemakers,” like our Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance (SOFSA), are integral agencies when it comes to making a difference.  

CC: Roughly one-third of Onondaga County’s land is used for agriculture. What, if anything, can the county do to support farmers, farmworkers, and other people involved in agriculture in the county? 

JD: More attention needs to be given to farmer’s markets, roadside stands, and farms in general. Our county government can see that more attention is directed to these areas by implementing policies that focus on our farms. As a youth, I worked every now and then on my aunt’s fairy farm. I have some experience milking cows, moving silage from silos to cows’ feeding areas, and bailing hay. And I saw my aunt have little to no choice but to sell her successful dairy farm. 

Starting with care for our farms’ soil, all the way to calling attention to the sale of our farms’ goods at harvest-time to  enhancing our agricultural infrastructure. Onondaga County can lead the way for agriculture in Central New York. As property values rise across “Micron land,” farms in Clay and around our county should not have to bear the brunt.

CC: As Micron prepares to move into Onondaga County, some county residents have raised concerns about PFAS and other emissions. How do you plan to mitigate the environmental concerns of county residents? 

JD: One of the core reasons I am running for legislature in District 14 is because I want to be sure we reduce PFAS and other emissions as much as possible. In addition to having my own children, I teach others’ children and because of their futures, I see how crucial it is that we protect our soil and water, while we industrialize. I believe that this is as important as bringing well-paying jobs to our area. Corporations want (and get) enormous tax-breaks, while we the people get peace of mind knowing that the Seneca, Oneida, and Oswego Rivers, as well as Lake Ontario and the Onondaga Watersheds, all stay chem-free (or as close as possible). 

My plan for mitigation in regards to environmental concerns of county residents involves a few different practices. Top priorities must be (1) a focus on maintaining standards for a clean environment and (2) ensuring that health & well-being of workers on-site aren’t compromised. Local laws can play a significant, strong lead in this initiative, but we the people can play a role, as well, by working together to see that a community benefits agreement is adhered to. Micron should commit to developing three points: a safe workplace with fair pay; housing, education, and transportation; caring for the environment and use of energy. Residents of the county along with the lead of our local government can exercise power. 

CC: Could the county be doing anything more to mitigate and combat its lead problem? If so, what? 

JD: According to US Water Grade, Syracuse ranks 9th among 100 top cities with highest lead levels, which means that our children are at higher risk of learning disabilities, behavioral problems, slowed growth and development, hearing and speech problems, and organ damage. 

If our county requires more strict inspections and orders more prompt remediation, then we have a chance at resolving this problem and tackling its negative effects. Just today (6 October 2026), Syracuse.com reported that the “fix” could cost $700 million according to Syracuse’s water commissioner. Two of every three homes are now said to be “at-risk” and a deadline of 2037 has been set, which sadly may not be realistic, no matter how urgent a situation tackling the problem of lead paint and pipes may be. And it’s not just a “city problem,” but a county-wide concern. According to today’s aforementioned article, low-income households and those with confirmed cases of lead-poisoned children are prioritized. This issue, just like the housing issue, are both red-flag issues as far as I’m concerned. Everything that can be done needs to be kickstarted as soon as possible.

CC: Over the last two years, USCIS has rolled back protected status for many groups of immigrants and has begun to target people for detainment who might not have been targeted in the past (i.e.: asylum seekers). Do you believe the county needs to do anything more to protect its large immigrant and refugee populations? If so, what? 

JD: I am impressed that our county legislature took a stand against ICE not too long ago, but after much research and examining what other local governments have done to protect immigrant and refugee communities, I am not sure if the roles and laws of our state and federal governments allow for much to be done on a local level. I do believe that community networking and solidarity movements can have good success with protecting those affected. If the county can do anything more, I am of course in favor of that. 

CC: What – if any – role should AI have in county operations? Should the county develop rules and policies to regulate its use? 

JD: My position on AI is based upon my lens as a public school teacher. I see first-hand in my history classes how students struggle to think critically and pen original thoughts and opinions. And this year marks my 20th anniversary of teaching. 

Personally, as AI has evolved, I have decided to strive for avoiding the utilization of AI; I have, however, seen AI be used in the process of note-taking for meetings that I attend/am present for. I do, though, have reservations about that and worry that confidentiality of meetings, in terms of information or data, could be compromised. With that being said, I favor rules and policies that regulate/reduce/restrict the usage of AI at the county level. I would love to see the need for data centers decline, as they have a negative impact on our environment.

CC: County Executive Ryan McMahon has announced a plan to study the feasibility and potential impacts of building a data center in Onondaga County. What would be the ideal outcome of that study? Depending on the outcome, how do you plan to respond? 

JD: Data-based decision-making is best, so kudos to our county executive for announcing a plan to study feasibility and potential impacts of building a data center in our county. The ideal outcome of this study, as far as I’m concerned, is that New York State is found to not currently be eligible to host any data centers. We have an aging infrastructure and a history of an unstable power grid, which I experienced first-hand when living in various locations around Central New York, including just outside of The Bronx, and witnessing outages. There are states that currently host data centers and states that may soon host them, but I do not foresee New York as being one of them given several, obvious factors. 

CC: Syracuse consistently has one of the highest rates of childhood poverty in the nation. Do you believe the county should be doing anything more than it is currently to address childhood poverty? If so, what?

JD: I do believe that the county can effectively address childhood poverty and have faith in our government to do so in the near future. Will it be soon enough? We’ll see depending on how our legislature shapes up come January 2027. 

A few months ago, I sat in on a public session where our legislators listened to various community leaders speak about troubles recognized in our Child Protective Services, court and school systems, and  residential communities. Will it be an easy, low-cost fix? No, I don’t believe so. We need to hire an abundance of workers who will need training. And we need time to heal as we recover. 

I truly believe that resolving childhood poverty, along with all of the other issues rooted in poverty, is indeed possible. I can tell you that the main reason I was disappointed in the plan for and building of our aquarium was because I honestly hoped that the money would have gone to give hope and promise to our children. Efforts to beautify our city and build up recreational experiences is great, however drawing attention to a grand project and focusing on all of the fanfare surrounding it simply allows its core problems to slip under the surface and go unnoticed. And the people affected by those core problems feel unheard/unnoticed.

CC: What county issues and concerns have an outsize impact in your district specifically? How do you plan to address those concerns and bring them to the forefront of the legislative agenda? 

JD: My district is homebase for Micron, so folks from all points on the political spectrum share concerns. Traffic, for one, as roads near the site of Micron are now congested and busy with dump trucks galore. The concerns will hopefully soon be addressed as Clay was the site of transportation meetings this past summer, hosted by NYS DOT. A 2050 “Master Plan” has been drafted and shared publicly. We will need a plan for Centro bus service, as well, that will connect Micron with the city, as well as surrounding suburbs. Concerns about water usage and availability exist, as well as protecting the environment and need for affordable housing. 

Upon winning the election, my focus will be on serving the county while paying attention to the needs and concerns of my neighbors in District 14. I am in absolute favor of seeing checks and balances work in action. And I am interested in being dedicated to serving the people and doing so with integrity and transparency because that’s what I want to see in our elected representatives.

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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...