Brown, a Democrat, faces Republican Shawn Fiato in the race for the seat. The Democrat challenger took down longtime incumbent Bill Magnarelli in the Democratic primary in June.
Eddie Velazquez
Eddie Velazquez is a Syracuse journalist covering economic justice in the region. He is focused on stories about organized labor, and New York's housing and childhood lead poisoning crises. You can follow his work on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ezvelazquez.
Eddie is a frequent contributor to Central Current and can be reached at edvel37@gmail.com
Posted inElections
AOC comes to Syracuse in an effort to reengage dormant Democratic voters
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’ Monday trip to Syracuse was the last leg of a three-city tour across Upstate New York. She also visited Ithaca and Buffalo.
Posted inCNY Decides 2026
Democrats in CNY and labor unions disagree on how to regulate data centers. Why?
Unions and Democrats have long had a tight relationship. However, in Central New York, they are split on how to regulate data centers.
Posted inNews
New York shifts from reactive to proactive on lead safety in homes. Advocates question whether it’s enough.
The state has started ramping up its enforcement of a lead rental registry program approved in 2023 by lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Posted inNews
What are the bottlenecks in housing production leading to Syracuse’s housing crisis?
Central Current dove into the issues clogging the pipeline of housing production and what city officials are doing to speed up construction as the region experiences unprecedented need.
Posted inEconomic Development
New York paused AI data center development for a year. In the interim, lawmakers want to block tax breaksÂ
Gov. Kathy Hochul has signaled support for a Syracuse-based state lawmaker’s proposal to ban IDAs from floating tax breaks to woo data centers.
Posted inHousing
Can AI in the permitting process help solve Syracuse’s housing crisis?
City officials say incorporating AI will help speed up the permitting process for quicker development of much needed housing in Syracuse.
Posted inNews
How democratic socialists reshaped the Central New York political landscape
DSA members and progressives pulled off Democrats’ second historic election upset in less than a year. An organized campaign and a rising affordability crisis helped topple a CNY titan.
Posted inElections
Brown leads incumbent Magnarelli in Democratic primary for Assembly seat but race is too close to call
If Brown’s lead holds, he could be poised to complete one of the biggest upsets in Central New York political history.
Posted inElections
Jo Bennett wins Democratic primary for Onondaga County Legislature’s 15th District
Jo Bennett beat Bill Kinne, who previously served in the Onondaga County Legislature for more than 20 years.
