Legislature Democrats replaced half of OCIDA’s board. Republicans offered $5M toward affordable housing to stop them.
Onondaga County
Posted inAquarium Project
Onondaga County Legislature unanimously passes law requiring more disclosure for aquarium donations
The law would require county leadership to disclose names of donors who gift more than $10,000 to fund the aquarium to the legislature’s chair.
Posted inNews
Syracuse lawmakers table local law banning biometric surveillance in some public places
Three city councilors want to block businesses in Syracuse from collecting, storing, and sharing customers’ biometric information through proposed legislation that exempts financial institutions.
Posted inEconomic Development
Onondaga County Legislature Democrats set plans to overhaul economic development agency
Democrats plan to put four new people on the board of the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency.
Posted inAquarium Project
Friends of the Zoo comes to agreement with McMahon after alleging the county was ‘threatening the very existence’ of the nonprofit
Friends Vice Chair Megan Thomas on Tuesday accused county officials of carrying out a “campaign of retaliation” after the nonprofit declined to contribute $1 million toward the aquarium.
Posted inAquarium Project
Onondaga County officials are ‘threatening the very existence’ of Friends of the Zoo, nonprofit’s leadership says
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon asked Friends of the Zoo officials to donate $1 million toward the county’s aquarium. When Friends officials gave a lukewarm response, pressure mounted, they said.
Posted inAquarium Project
The aquarium gets a new name and new donors — as Onondaga County Legislature Democrats try to curtail McMahon’s power
For the last year, Chief Fiscal Officer Kristi Smiley has been able to accept donations on behalf of Friends of the Aquarium without approval by the legislature. Democrats proposed legislation to change that.
Posted inNews
‘What I needed was here’: How Ruthnie Angrand became Onondaga County’s poet laureate
Angrand brings together a complex range of influences – from her Haitian-American identity to her background as a classically trained singer – in her spoken word poetry.
Posted inOnondaga County
Stewards of Onondaga County’s now sold film hub funneled $5.7 million to the aquarium to be a ‘marquee sponsor’
Some Onondaga County Democrats believe the money breaks a commitment to stop using public funds on the aquarium. The county executive’s spokesperson said the funds were generated through a private sale.
Posted inOnondaga County
Onondaga County Legislature votes to cap gas sales tax in June
The Onondaga County Legislature’s gas sales tax cap will start June because such a cap cannot begin until the start of a financial quarter.