Where is the Syracuse Common Council's 5th district?
The 5th district includes portions of Syracuse's Sedgwick, Eastwood, Lincoln Park, Near Eastside and Salt Springs neighborhoods.
Jimmy Monto is running for re-election for the second time for his seat in the Common Council’s 5th district.
Monto was first appointed to the council in August 2022 before winning re-election in November of last year.
He was designated by the Democratic party as its candidate in the 5th district. While Monto is running unopposed on the ballot, fellow councilor and Democrat Jen Schultz recently launched a write-in bid to unseat Monto.
How do you think the city can increase its housing capacity? How would you persuade the county and state to help increase housing capacity?
Our recent housing study provides insight into a host of problems that we have with housing. An aging housing stock, a significant market gap, incomes that no longer support needed renovations and more. All of those problems lead to one conclusion, we need to build safe and affordable housing in Syracuse.
As we watch I-81 come down and Micron begin to build, we need to be making a conscious effort to make wise decisions around development; without making the tragic mistakes of the past. Many of our residents have been left behind for decades, this urban core cannot be left behind again.
Safe and fair housing is a basic human need. If we as stewards of this city expect this city to rise, we have to demand that all voices, in all neighborhoods are being heard. I think passing the new zoning ordinance in June was a step in the right direction. Zoning laws in Syracuse laid stagnant for several decades, Rezone is not perfect, but it is better.
With continued enhancements, the ordinance has the potential to meet the challenges of modern development. I certainly believe that there are reasons to be hopeful albeit cautiously optimistic.
Do you think Safer Streets and other anti-violence programs are adequate? How would you tackle juvenile crime and gun violence as a councilor?
There is no simple answer here. We have many residents that are stuck in a cycle of generational poverty. We have an economic situation on our hands that leads many parents to work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. We cannot expect kids to thrive when many parents are struggling to survive. None of us have the magic answer, if we did, the problem wouldn’t persist all over this country.
However, I do know this, the trauma inflicted on these families is immeasurable; we cannot simply sit by and do nothing.
Our neighborhoods get safer when we pour our energy into listening to what residents are telling us. If I want to know what is going on in one of the neighborhoods that I represent, I listen to the people that are actually living, working and advocating there. When a community begins to raise their voice, I find that it’s because they are passionate about what is happening in their own backyard. We need to be better at listening. The Safer Streets program at its core is a partnership between the City of Syracuse and community organizations. Generally speaking, the faith-based centers and other non-profit groups have their ear to the ground in these neighborhoods. These organizations have first hand knowledge of what gun violence is doing to this country. I believe partnering with them and listening to them is a step in the right direction.
How important of an issue do you think the lack of reliable transportation is in the 5th district? How would you help fix that?
Much of the 5th District is fortunate to have James Street running through it, with an active Centro bus route that is accessible to most of our citizens. That said, it could be faster.
Luckily, talks around a bus rapid transit system have been moving right along. I am hopeful that with us pushing for that, we will see it come to fruition soon. My biggest concern with transportation surrounds the massive development about to happen in the northern suburbs. Significant job creation in the suburbs only helps city residents if they have a way to get to work. Safe and affordable public transportation to and from our urban center is key to truly capitalizing on Micron’s investment.
How will you help ensure that the outcomes of the Interstate 81 and Blueprint 15 projects are fair and equitable?
We have to ensure that the people most impacted by this change are involved in the planning. The Common Council supports and has advocated for the I-81 land to be returned to the City of Syracuse. In turn, we need to ensure that when that happens, we bring all groups to the table as we decide how to best utilize the land.
It’s 2023, we have the capability and the technology for rapidly gathering data and statistics, and that’s great. But, I’m far more interested in hearing what the neighborhoods most affected by it have to say. Once again, we need to be listening. The creation of the community grid will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform families that have long been geographically blocked from building generational wealth.
We have to stay diligent in our advocacy for every single one of these residents. Amplifying the voices of those that have felt unheard for years is the reason why I love this job.
What are the strengths of the 5th district? How would you use them as the district’s representative?
I live just a few blocks from where I was born, and have had the distinct pleasure of living in the 5th District for most of my life. My first vote as Common Councilor last year was a vote on new citizen-drawn maps, I took tremendous pride in voting to create a more cohesive district, and that is exactly what we now have.
Our strength is in the diversity and the commonalities in these little neighborhoods. Eastwood, Sedgwick, Lincoln Hill, Salt Springs, Hawley-Green; all of us share a civic pride that binds us together. We are steeped in generational traditions, we have strong neighborhood groups working to better and beautify, we are becoming more walkable and more tree-lined as each year passes. We also share common struggles. Quality of life crimes are up, and so is the cost of living. We have a shortage of housing, and much of our housing stock is need of repair. In many places in this district, people are struggling. These are real problems that have an impact on all of us, and they don’t get fixed overnight.
What do we do? Well, my hope is that we all work together to pull in the same direction. The cohesiveness of the new 5th District gives us tremendous strength. The successes and the struggles of one neighborhood have a tremendous impact on the others. So, we must work together. Activate our neighbors around common goals, get involved and make positive change. I strive every day to be a conduit for the positive change that is created when neighbors begin to look out for each other.
Why do you think Syracuse’s lead crisis persists? How would you help fight it?
How awful is it that we are still talking about lead in 2023? This crisis in Syracuse now spans generations, and unfortunately it does not appear that the end is in sight. The facts are the facts; it was ignored for years, the funding is far below where it needs to be and the people most affected by the problem have little to no voice.
As President of Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today, I have worked on door-to-door education of residents on the dangers of lead. The current task force, headed by Patrona Jones-Rowser is currently working on using our remaining grant funding for a broader advertising campaign. It is a daunting task, the census tracts most impacted by lead poisoning are often the most difficult to reach. It’s important work and we certainly cannot stop thinking of new and innovative ways of protecting our residents. I’m optimistic that maybe someday soon we can say that we are nearing the end.
