The Common Council plans to audit the budget Mayor Ben Walsh proposed Wednesday to city lawmakers.
The audit could cost taxpayers a little more than $20,000 and councilors could vote to approve the audit as soon as Monday afternoon.
The council plans to contract with the Bonadio Group, the same company performing an audit of the city’s payroll modernization project. The budget audit would take 30 days and cost $20,750.
Council Finance, Taxation and Assessment Committee Chair Corey Williams provided Central Current with a written statement on behalf of the committee.
“For anyone following the national or local news, it is clear that we are in uncertain financial times,” the statement read. “The Common Council is using every tool at its disposal to try to save the taxpayers money. We believe that seeking expert advice is the responsible thing to do.”
The audit comes as two councilors — Pat Hogan and Chol Majok — gear up for a heated mayoral primary against Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens.
Pat Hogan, president pro tempore of the council, won the Democratic Party’s mayoral candidate designation, setting up a primary showdown with Owens and Councilor Chol Majok.
Hogan and Majok did not answer calls from a Central Current reporter requesting comment. Owens declined to comment.
“The Administration is ready to work with the Council and any outside advisors it feels the need to retain to assist with their budget review,” Mayor’s office spokesperson Greg Loh said in a statement.
Williams declined further comment beyond his own statement.
The audit could be the second approved this year by the Council. Lawmakers previously approved an audit of the city’s Bureau of Information Technology and the city’s payroll modernization project. FoxPointe Solutions, a division of Bonadio, is performing that audit.
Lawmakers called for that audit after Central Current’s reporting revealed extensive delays in the multimillion dollar IT project.
Walsh’s proposed budget would implement a 2% property tax hike, while pulling about $27 million from the city’s savings to address shortcomings. He argued he’s leaving the city in a better fiscal position than when he was elected mayor.
For the first time since 2021, the city will not receive the federal funds it has relied on to counteract pandemic-era economic losses. Without these American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, Walsh has had to pull from the city’s coffers.
Walsh’s budget included a number of new initiatives, including:
- Adding two codes inspectors
- Third-party permitting to speed up the permitting process while also increasing the number of permits that get approved
- A restructuring of the city’s Bureau of Information Technology, Digital Services and Analytics, Performance and Innovation
Read more of Central Current’s coverage
Sean Kirst: At birth, the doctors said Dave Murray might not live to be 5. A double lung transplant later, he just turned 70.
Born with cystic fibrosis, time and struggle taught Murray one especially vital key to daily life: Listening.
Podcast: The bottlenecks stalling Syracuse’s housing production
Reporter Debadrita Sur unpacks the zoning, permitting, and funding barriers that are keeping housing production goals out of reach.
Rep. John Mannion declines Central Current debate, appearing to avoid only debate with live audience
Campaign manager Josh Ludden cited a lack of capacity when declining the forum, which appears to be the only local debate that would have allowed constituents to directly question candidates.
County Executive Ryan McMahon’s proposed 2027 budget: new housing initiatives, food pantry support and airport upgrades
The Onondaga County Legislature will hold weeks of budget hearings before the legislative body votes on whether to approve the budget.
Meet new Syracuse Housing Authority board commissioner Bea González
González is Mayor Sharon Owens’ third appointee to the Syracuse Housing Authority board in the last year.
