Please welcome the pride of Syracuse Drumline and Nottingham Varsity Cheer Team.

Please give a round of applause for our cheer team and drumline.

And please stand if you were able and welcome Reverend Matif Johnson Kinsey, Director of the Mayor's Office to reduce gun violence.

Eternal God.

Grant wisdom to our leaders clarity to our decisions and integrity to their actions.

Guide every policy, every plan, and every conversation so that it reflects justice, compassion, and the dignity of all people.

We lift before you, Mayor Sharon Owens, strengthen her with courage, surround her with wise counsel, and anchor her leadership in peace and purpose.

May she lead with humility, vision, and heart for the most vulnerable among us.

May the words she speak today accomplish all that it has already accomplished in heavenly places.

Lord, we pray for this city and our country.

Where there is division, bring unity.

Where there is violence, bring peace.

Where there is uncertainty, bring hop.

And where there is fatigue, renew the spirit of those who serve.

As we move forward together, remind us that leadership is stewardship, that power is responsibility, and that progress is best measured by how we care for one another.

We offer these prayer and gratitude and expectations, trusting that you who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Please be seated.

Please welcome Nottingham High School's student ambassador, Kylie Cooper.

Hi, welcome to Nottingham High School, home of the Bulldogs.

My name is Kylie Cooper, and I'm a senior here at Nottingham High School.

Nottingham has truly given me the best high school experience.

Nottingham has so many diverse students, staff, and activities that gives every student a sense of belonging.

For me, when I first entered Nottingham, I did not know anyone, but the Nottingham staff made sure that I was able to find my place here at Nottingham High School, which I eventually did.

I became a student athlete that participates in two sports, basketball and flag football.

I have been a class representative all four years of high school.

Just look at what Nottingham High School has allowed me to be a part of.

Who would not want to be a bulldog?

It sets you on the path to success.

My future plans after graduation are to continue my education at a four-year college or university, hopefully at HBCU, where I can get where I can get my degree in social work or psychology to pursue a career as a therapist.

Many would not be able to tell, but I have struggled with anxiety and anger issues, which really impacted my education.

When I was younger, my grandmother made the decision to get me a therapist to help me talk and work through my problems.

Who would have thought the kid who cussed out teachers to be given a speech to welcome the mayor?

My experience with therapy is the reason I know that when you have someone near for you, it makes a difference, which is why I want to become one.

I want to give kids a sense of belonging in a world that can make you feel so alone and out of place.

Now enough talk about me.

I want to thank all of you for being here, and Mayor Owens for being here today.

Thank you.

If you were able, please stand and remain standing for the presentation of colors, Pledge of Allegiance, and National Anthem.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh saves that star spangled Ben.

Or the land of the free and the home of the bread.

Please welcome City of Syracuse Chief Operating Officer and Nottingham alum, Kevin Henry.

Please join me in thanking the PSLA at Fowler Navy National Defense Cadet Corps, the Nottingham students, Lucas Sam, and Angelina for their presentation of the colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the National Anthem.

My name is Kevin Henry, and I have the honor of serving as a city of Syracuse's chief of operate chief operations officer.

I'm a Nottingham alumni.

I graduated here in 1993.

Go Bulldogs.

I spent four years on a varsity football team, and I threw shop putting discus on the indoor and outdoor track teams.

The most fun I had in Nottingham High School was playing in these halls, cutting jokes, and getting in just a teeny bit of trouble with our own Chief Michael Mons.

But today I'm here to introduce someone who has truly inspired me.

Wonder Woman herself, Mayor Sharon Owens.

Mayor Owens and I go way back.

We first met about 20 years ago.

The both of us worked at Southwest Center.

And uh through it all, we've always stayed connected.

For the past eight years, Mayor Owens has been looking for the right opportunity to bring me on to her team.

So you can imagine the surprise and the gratitude I felt when she offered me this role.

As the 55th mayor of the city of Syracuse, she has broken barriers as the first African American to hold this esteemed office.

But for me, she's more than a milestone or a title.

She's a leader that I've admired, learned from, and been proud of and proud to work alongside of her for many a year.

She's the kind of leader who doesn't just talk to talk.

She walks the walk.

She means what she says, and she gets things done.

Mayor Owens is proactive, passionate, and deeply committed to the city of a proud Syracuse University graduate, Mary Owen Mayor Owens has deep roots in the community.

Student athlete to lifelong public servant, reflects her genuine love for the city and its people.

But long before Mayor Owens became mayor, she was on the ground doing the work, strengthening neighborhoods, expanding housing opportunities, and fighting for equity and inclusion across the city of Syracuse.

Her extensive career has prepared her well for this moment.

Her leadership today's today continues to reflect integrity, compassion, and a clear vision to where Syracuse is headed.

Mayor Owens believes in a city where every neighborhood matters, where opportunity is shared, and where the next generation has a reason to believe in what is possible.

So right now, please, it is my absolute honor to introduce the 55th mayor of the city of Syracuse, Sharon Owens.

Oh my goodness, you look wonderful.

Thank you, Kylie, for that warm welcome.

I met Kylie uh last week, and I am absolutely convinced she is going to be president of the United States.

And thank you, Kevin, for those very kind words.

I anticipate shedding a tear at some point tonight, but Kevin, I didn't think it would be this soon.

So thank you all for coming out this evening and for your support.

I would like to take a moment to recognize our elected officials.

Congressman Manion, State Senators May and Ryan, State Assembly members Magnarelli and Hunter, County Executive McMahon, School Board President Barnett, and the commissioners of the Board of Education, Superintendent Odom, Chairperson Watts, and members of the uh county legislator, city auditor Marion, and City Clerk McBride.

Thank you for being here.

I would also like to recognize and thank my amazing transition team who have volunteered their time, energy, and expertise towards supporting the transition.

Nobody warned me about the transition.

Would members of my transition team, the chairs, the committee chairs, and all who assisted and participated in discussions and meetings, please stand and be recognized.

Thank you all.

I would also like to recognize my senior leadership team, Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff, Corey Dunham, Chief Development Officer Eric Annis, Chief Strategy Officer Stephanie Pasquale, Chief Operations Officer Kevin Henry, Chief Financial Officer Michael Canazaro, and Corporation Council Sue Katzov, those who lead our various leadership in our departments, and our dedicated city employees.

This team keeps me grounded and is instrumental in carrying out the initiatives that you are going to hear about this evening.

Please stand.

If you work for the city of Syracuse, please ride and be rise and be recognized.

Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank my family, my husband Sean, who for 35 years has supported me wherever my career has taken us.

And my children, Simone and Isaac, my sister-in-law is here, my niece is here, Sierra, my sister and just my ride or die Monica is here.

Thank you for sharing your mom, your entire lives to my children.

They have never known life without mom in the community.

So thank you all.

Today I present to the council, but I dedicate my first day of the city to the memory of my mother.

Pastor Esther L.

Daniels.

Mom, you are why I am standing here today, and I love you dearly.

It is a great honor that my first day of the city address takes place in one of our tremendous high schools.

Thank you to Superintendent Pam Odom and your staff for working with my team to ensure today is possible.

Thank you to Principal Hogan and your staff and the students for your gracious hospitality.

And in the tradition of SCSD, current and alumni students, roll call.

When you see your high school displayed here, let me hear you.

Corcan Cougars, Fowler Falcons, Hennegar Glag Knights, ITC Eagles.

That's right, ITC.

Regional STEAM High School, any of you here?

That's okay.

But if you graduated from the historical Central Tech High School, let me hear you.

Oh, come on.

You just thoroughly disappointed me.

Last but certainly not least, our host school, Nottingham, let's hear you bulldogs.

Oh my goodness, you bulldogs.

Now, without further ado, Madam President Paniagua, members of the Common Council, Caldwell, Aaron Wright, Majoke, Monto, Moore, Nave, Jones Rouser, and Williams.

Thank you.

I look forward to collaborating with you to move our city forward.

In accordance with the charter of the city of Syracuse, I'm honored to stand before you tonight as mayor of the great city of Syracuse to report and deliver the state of the city address.

I am proud to report that the state of our city is growing, diverse, and ripe for opportunity for all.

I'm grateful for the work of our city employees and partners in our federal, state, county, and across this community who helped bring us to this moment.

Together we are transforming Syracuse and building a foundation upon which we can grow.

I want to begin by grounding us in place.

We are gathered on the land that has long been stewarded by indigenous peoples, the Anadaga Nation fire keepers of the whole Nishonee.

We acknowledge with respect the ancestral land Syracuse is on and commit ourselves to responsibly caring for this place together.

Tonight, we gather here at Nottingham High School, a place of learning, growth, and possibilities, whose mission is to create college and career ready students who will become productive members of society.

Education is power, and it's how opportunity begins, how doors open, how futures are shaped.

Like so many families in this city, my family believes in the power of education and in the promise of what Syracuse can offer the next generation.

Despite the diagnosis and prognosis of my son Isaac, it was the district that nurtured him through elementary school and middle school, and it was Nottingham that guided him to graduation.

To every teacher, administrator, support staff, bus driver, I thank you dearly.

Last week I had the honor of meeting a group of Nottingham students accompanied by bulldog alumni who are now city employees.

We talked about how housing must be affordable and safe, and how the path to building generational wealth starts with owning a home.

We talked about some of our challenges homelessness, poverty, crime, lead, and food insecurity.

We shared our thoughts on public service and the importance of voting and civic engagement.

One question that came up repeatedly was about immigration.

I'd like to take a moment to address the impact of practices imposed by the federal government.

We are a nation of immigrants, a welcoming community that supports our immigrant neighbors, our families.

Let me reiterate tonight that the men and women of the Syracuse Police Department sworn to protect and serve the people of Syracuse will not take on the role of immigration enforcement.

We have seen neighbors wrongfully detained right here in our community, families torn apart, and fear spread through this community as well.

Most recently, with the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, it is cruel and unacceptable.

And that's why I will continue to show up at rallies, to raise my voice, and to stand with those who are targeted.

When our neighbors are treated unjustly, silence is not an option.

It is also why I strongly support the New York Act, New York for All Act.

This legislation, if passed, and I urge it be passed, would prohibit local law enforcement across the state from enforcing federal immigration law.

Follow Syracuse, New York.

It would also limit federal agents from entering property without a signed judicial warrant.

These protections matter because they uphold trust, safety, and dignity for everyone who calls New York and Syracuse home.

Syracuse is a city shaped by our past, but not defined by it.

A city ready for our future, a city whose people inspire me every day with their resilience, creativity, and determination.

Syracuse is taking a new meaning, not just as the center of New York State, but central to the future of New York State.

Over the course of my time as deputy mayor, I worked with all of the city's partners to achieve great things.

Our work over the last eight years brought us to the historic moment in time we're in now.

Together, we have laid a foundation on which we can grow, and I am here tonight to tell you I'm not done.

Tonight I'm here to talk about what's next.

Our past is our foundation.

Our vision will be our legacy.

And that vision is clear.

A fiscally stable city, a Syracuse at leads, a Syracuse where every person has a place to live, work, and play, where people are safe, housed, and prosperous in every neighborhood.

My vision is for Syracuse is that it is the best place to raise a family, build a life, grow a business, and together we can make that happen.

Tonight you will hear more about my vision for achieving these next steps through initiatives based on thriving neighborhoods, public safety, generation next, and an inclusive and growing economy with fiscal stability.

As discussed with the students here in Nottingham, and as I hear throughout my campaign, Syracuse needs more housing.

That's no secret.

It is fundamental necessity that provides stability, safety, and creates generational wealth.

As a city faces unprecedented growth, we need to ensure we have sufficient housing stock to meet both our current needs as well as the demands of a growing city.

We need to ensure our existing rental stock is safe and remains affordable for our residents.

It is for that reason I encourage the council to engage in conversation around good cause addiction.

Creating more affordable housing options is a primary focus of my administration.

I am pleased to say we are underway in those efforts.

We currently have over 1,000 housing units under construction that will offer a mix of market and affordable rental and homeownership opportunities.

These include 256 units being constructed as part of the first two phases of the East Adams neighborhood transformation, and 152 units as part of the renovation of the Chimes Building.

I would like to thank our partners at Syracuse Housing Authority and the Allen Foundation for making investments in Syracuse.

In the coming months, we will be breaking ground on the Syracuse Developmental Center site on the city's west side.

SDC will bring more than 261 housing units as part of the first phase of its redevelopment.

The site will include the development of new roads, Jensen Avenue, in honor of fallen Officer Michael E.

Jensen.

And Helen D.

Hudson Boulevard in honor of our former council president.

The city is working with our partner home headquarters to build 27 townhomes on the SDC site.

I hope my daughter buys one of those, that will be sold to first-time homebuyers.

The newly created neighborhood will serve as a catalyst for investment in the near West Side and Tipperary Hill.

While these projects add to our housing stock, they are not enough.

Innovation is in Syracuse's DNA, our determined neighborhood action.

And innovation is critical to building high quality affordable housing for our city.

Syracuse was one of the first in New York State designated as a pro-housing community.

We have a partner in Governor HOCO and her team.

They have been and continue to be essential partners in advancing this important work.

Programs like AHOP, the Affordable Housing Opportunity Program, and Move in New York support the creation of brand new, healthy and energy efficient homes for first-time homeowners.

The governor knows what we know.

Homeownership serves to stabilize children and families.

It creates generational wealth, and it forges thriving neighborhoods.

There are more than 50 AHOP projects underway right now that encompass a variety of options, including one and two family and condominiums.

We know that incentivizing and incorporating modular manufactured homes construction will reduce overall construction costs, reduce the need for public funds, and dramatically reduce the time it takes to construct a new home.

My administration will work with our development partners to explore how to leverage and scale these initiatives to increase the production of affordable housing to accommodate all family sizes, including three and four bedroom units.

This past summer, the governor's Move In New York Cross Mod Program was piloted here in the city by the Syracuse Land Bank.

And it was featured in an article by the New York Times as one of the state's first cross mod projects.

As a result of the success of this project, New York State has pledged 52 more of these homes in Syracuse.

We will continue to partner with the land bank and our development partners to bring these and other initiatives to each discussion as a tool to return more vacant properties into productive use.

To date, the land bank's efforts have resulted in an increase of $2.6 million in local property taxes annually.

I thank Executive Director Caitlin Wright and the Land Bank Board for their hard work as well as the Common Council for ensuring these tax delinquent properties continue to move into the hands of those who can return them to productive use.

To ensure that we're ready to meet the needs of new commercial development, including housing, we request funding in the upcoming 2027 budget to expand our capacity for third party review services, thereby expediting the timeline for applicants to complete our permitting and plan review process.

Think of it as a hove lane, a high occupancy vehicle for development, where you could pass everybody else in line.

We're going to make it happen.

Participating large-scale residential and commercial projects will have the ability to receive comments and responses back in the expedited basis.

To further improve efficiency, we are rolling out our new online application process for submission for all, all permit and licensing types.

The new application is now available at the city's website.

In addition to new housing stock, we are also focusing on our properties and neighborhoods.

The newly created Syracuse Housing Strategies Corporation is leveraging funds dollar for dollar to create opportunities for property owners, completing curb appeal improvements.

In 2026, the Housing Strategies Corporation will build on this successful initiative by introducing expanded home improvements in these communities to preserve and increase housing value.

With investment and support from the council, our plan is to expand into new neighborhoods each year.

We should demonstrate to other investors our own financial commitment.

It is not enough to have housing.

We must also ensure our housing stock is safe for our families, free from lead, unsafe conditions, and code violations.

My administration will continue to aggressively target all sources of funding to combat all types of lead hazards in our housing stock.

This includes a grant of up to $4.1 million from HUD, which is in the final stages of review to remediate lead paint hazards in at least 100 housing units in the city.

Our lead hazard control office continues to partner with Onadaga County's led poisoning prevention program to share information, resources, and to address as many Syracuse properties as possible.

I encourage contractors willing to assist in this work to contact Onadaga County's led contractor and recruitment initiative.

We need you.

I would like to thank our partners in Onadaga County, including County Executive Man and the entire legislature for their ongoing partnership to address lead safety for our families.

In addition to lead paint, my administration will continue to replace lead water water pipes throughout our city.

We are poised to complete 1700 lead water service lines this year.

So I know you're wondering how.

This is how.

To meet this goal, we have tripled the number of crews undertaking this work.

I want to thank the teams of NBD, Codes, and Water for their relentless commitment to this work.

My team will hold property owners accountable for code compliance, ensuring landlords comply with rental registry requirements and properties are maintained.

When necessary, we will continue to utilize our courts to help the city achieve enforcement when faced with defiant property owners who fail to maintain properties that are safe for tenants.

Like every city, Syracuse is also faced with caring for our homeless and our housing vulnerable.

Despite the great work of our shelter providers and street outreach teams, there is a lack of sufficient housing for these individuals and families.

My team will continue to support and incentivize the inclusion of deeply affordable supportive housing throughout Syracuse and emphasize the need in the greater central New York region to address this crisis.

This is a problem for us all, not just Syracuse.

Our city must be healthy, livable, and prepared for the future.

This year we will continue the important work of the Sustainable Syracuse Initiative.

The initiative is about responding to the growing threat of climate change and about building smarter, more resilient systems that protect our neighbors, our infrastructure, and our families for generations to come.

We will be releasing the city's first comprehensive climate action plan.

The plan will analyze the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and create a strategic list of actions and policies to make meaningful reductions in our carbon footprint throughout the city.

We are preparing a final draft now, and we are looking forward to public input this spring before the plan's adoption this year.

The person responsible for that is Owen Kearney, the voice you heard behind the curtain.

We are also tackling the challenges of aging infrastructure.

Here's one example.

Later this year, the city's water department will replace a 24-inch transmission line on Hiawatha Boulevard that has been shut off for more than 20 years.

Once complete, this replaced water line will provide improved water pressure and increased volume to the residents throughout Syracuse's north side.

Providing superior constituent services is essential to me.

It's the core of who I am.

I am excited to announce we will be creating a new team to assist residents with human service needs through the creation of the care team, the constituent assistance resource employees.

The care team will include key staff members who will work alongside our dedicated City Line staff to provide comprehensive responses to these issues.

This human-centered approach will provide a single point of contact for residents to obtain guidance on available city services or other government andor community resources.

I have entrusted my chief strategy officer, Stephanie Pasquel, to lead this charge.

The reality is in Syracuse, unemployment rates for people of color are three times higher than the city's overall unemployment rate.

A significant portion of city households are cost burdened, with many families struggling to manage the cost of basic necessities, including housing, utilities, and groceries.

Given our poverty rates, this should be no surprise.

But let me be clear, it is not acceptable and nor is it inevitable.

Poverty is a financial condition tied to opportunity.

It is not one's destiny.

Childhood poverty in particular is critical to address.

My administration will address this challenge with a clear focus, making sure everyone has access to opportunities through workforce development, affordable housing, and safe, reliable transportation.

Creating new jobs and ensuring these jobs are available to city residents helps achieve stability, security, and generational wealth to provide real and durable pathways out of poverty.

These efforts are critically important to change that financial condition and get Syracuse off those darn lists.

There was another word there, but I changed it.

Less than two weeks ago, our community formally celebrated the groundbreaking of Micron, the leading manufacturer of memory chips in the United States.

I had the privilege of being part of this historic event, joined by representatives from throughout central New York community and beyond.

I want to recognize and thank my partner in county government, County Executive Ryan McMahon for the leadership he has shown in order to secure the investment and the commitment for Micron.

Thank you, County Executive.

The investment presented by Micron does not end with one company.

We have to understand that.

But it creates economic opportunity in Syracuse.

Many attendees were leaders of suppliers in the semiconductor industry who rely on the relationship with Micron and who are now considering where to invest and build to support the fabs now under construction.

Complementing the region's science and technology parks, my administration will work with property owners to activate existing commercial spaces to house new businesses that support the semiconductor ecosystem.

Let me be clear.

Syracuse is that place, and I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to each and every supplier and company who is looking at Onondaga County and Syracuse, New York as a place where they can invest and create meaningful employment opportunities.

My administration is committed to ensuring opportunities for all from planning to permitting.

We will facilitate this new growth.

Syracuse is open for business and welcomes you to our city.

So throughout the city, we are witnessing cranes in the air as projects break ground from new housing construction to the recent completion of the Inspire Innovation Hub.

New investments are being made throughout the city, and our construction activity is rising to levels that have not been seen in decades.

New York State's 450 million dollar investment to support the expansion of SUNY Upstate's emergency room and burn unit currently in the design phase will result in a state-of-the-art facility four times its current size.

This investment will significantly increase our medical infrastructure for the benefit of our residents and this region.

As we look forward to the future, I see an inner harbor and lakefront area that is brimming with potential for a dense urban, walkable neighborhood.

My administration investing in improvements in Progress Park to include recreational opportunities, pedestrian and bicycle connections, and visitor amenities.

These improvements will enhance and leverage the expansion of the Creek Walk and increase residential growth.

To fully leverage these investments, we must prepare our residents to access the jobs being created so they have meaningful career opportunities.

That's why Syracuse is partnering to create a center of excellence for emerging technology at the former Sears Building at 1300 South Salina Street, finally doing something with that building.

It will house New York State's flagship site for ONRP.

The one the one network, the one network for regional advanced manufacturing partnership.

I did not come up with that name.

But I love ONR.

This innovative development was made possible by critical investment from Governor HOCO and our team at Empire State Development.

Now in partnership with Center State CEO, the process is underway to identify a master developer for the site, and so development can break ground later this year.

On rep will serve as one of our community's leading workforce innovation hubs dedicated to closing skill gaps in advanced manufacturing and construction across central New York.

Commitments from our higher education partners are focused on training and preparing our workforce for emerging emerging industries.

Programs like Erie 21 at Lemoine College and semiconductor clean rooms at Onadaga Community College and Syracuse University will prepare students to join employers in our community while offering opportunities to remain in Syracuse.

Yes.

Stay here like I did.

It's a great place to live.

Other partners, including SUNY EOC, OCM Bose's, and Jubilee Homes are preparing city residents with the fundamental skills needed to establish lasting careers that pay a living wage.

In addition, my administration is partnering with Mathney to participate in their apprenticeship programs.

These provide valuable skills training needed to prepare the workforce of tomorrow.

We would like to expand our existing programs with local unions, and I urge the council to support this valuable training initiative.

Transportation connects people to opportunities, jobs, schools, health care, and each other.

In understanding the value and importance of transportation for all, we must also understand that transportation must be safe for our residents.

Safety is our highest priority, and I would like to thank the tireless efforts of our DPW team headed by Commissioner Jeremy Robinson.

That team has been working during what has been described as the single worst series of storm systems in recent history.

Their efforts are keeping us safe and they're trying hard.

Give them a break to keep the streets clean.

Now we interrupt this program to make a public a servant, public service announcement.

We need CDL drivers.

If you or someone else you know are interested in joining our team and driving one of those cool vehicles you just saw, call human resources at 315-448-8780.

That 315, 448-878.

Now we return to our previously scheduled program.

Ensuring residents across our city have access to safe, reliable, and affordable transportation that gets them where they need to go while at the same time ensuring pedestrian safety is critical for a thriving city.

That is why my administration is continuing our commitment to Vision Zero, our comprehensive roadmap to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our streets by 2055.

To make this happen, we have hired a Vision Zero coordinator, housed within the Department of Public Works, and we are moving from planning to implementation.

To keep our students safe, we will continue the rollout of our school zone traffic enforcement to protect our students as they go to and from school.

And I am proud and shocked to say I never got a warning and I never got a ticket.

This year we are advancing several major federally funded transportation improvement projects.

Construction will include pedestrian safety upgrades at 42 intersections and traffic signal improvements along James Street and South Salina Street.

We are also focused on removing hurdles from everyday movement, whether you are driving, taking transit, walking, because a great city is one that is connected north, south, east, and west.

To meet this work, I am proud to announce this evening the creation of the Deputy Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility position.

The council will be proud that I'm using existing funding.

This position will coordinate these efforts internally and externally to ensure that projects keep moving forward as a top priority of my administration.

We consider transportation within the city, and I would be remiss if I did not thank the partners of New York State DOT for their collaboration during the transformation of the I 81 project.

People of Syracuse, this project is coming home and is coming home quick.

In 2026, the project will reach major milestones as NISDOT moves closer to implementing the community grid.

The future of the land under the existing viaduct is critical, puzzle, peace to the revitalization revitalization of our community.

I look forward to working with NISOT to create a pathway for city ownership.

Our ownership is critical to ensure public engagement in the determination of land use and zoning.

We will continue working to build neighborhoods that are vibrant, welcoming, and full of opportunity.

As part of the East Adams Neighborhood Transformation Project, my administration will work to reinvigorate the development of the Children Rising Center.

It's a commitment I made, and we're going to work to get it done.

My staff will work tirelessly to identify development investment partners to make this dream a reality.

As we reimagine East Adams neighborhood, we are extending momentum into neighborhood commercial corridors, supporting places where small businesses, culture, and community life come together.

These areas are the ideal place for entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow and scale, activating storefronts, attracting visitors, and growing our city's economy.

I thought that was a cheer in the background.

My administration will continue breaking down barriers to opening a business.

I told them to take that picture up.

Especially for our young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color who historically have not had equal access to opportunity.

To achieve this level of vibrancy, I'm proud to announce the creation of a district and nightlife coordinator.

Again, council, you'll be proud of making it happen within the budget.

This role will be located in the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development, and it will support efforts that intersect between entrepreneurs, nightlife, public safety, and public arts, helping make Syracuse a place where residents, including young adults want to stay, and visitors want to experience.

Syracuse is the city of Central New York, and it must be vibrant.

As part of this initiative, we will focus on Generation Next, or as I call it Gen X, an innovative and innovative to an innovation to provide our youth a place in our community.

Gen Next is my administration's commitment to ensuring that young people see a future for themselves in Syracuse.

Gen Next is about creating safe places where young people want to spend time, create community, innovate ideas, build relationships, and feel connected.

I have tasked my chief development officer Eric Ennis with this important work to revitalize and connect our neighborhoods.

Tonight I am announcing that the city will open two more sites this year.

That's pretty slick, isn't it?

Additionally, Commissioner Byrd will take on a nostalgic wish of mine.

I've been thinking about growing up lately a lot, lately with my mom.

And identify options that will convert Clinton Square ice rink, because your mayor doesn't ice skate into a summer roller rink.

I asked our commissioner, I said, hey, I want this to happen.

She said, you got it.

So our commissioner is fully up to the task to find us the path to get a roller rink downtown.

Thrive neighborhoods rely on good stewards of our buildings.

Our administration will work hard to bring new development and revitalization to vacant properties.

As part of those revitalization efforts, we will not allow nuisance properties that are unsafe, unsanitary, and unneighborly to persist.

We will continue using every tool in our toolbox to hold absentee landlords and illegally operated businesses accountable, especially where illegal cannabis and other drugs are sold.

We will enforce the law firmly but fairly, holding bad actors accountable for the benefit of our neighborhoods.

Thank you to our corporation counsel, Sue Katzoff, the enforcer, for your work in enforcing the law for the benefit of our city and our neighbors.

The single large obligation of any administration is the safety of its residents.

It is core to the success of our people and our city.

Public safety starts with leadership.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to thank Joe Cecil, who retired after more than 40 years of service with the Syracuse Police Department.

Under his leadership, crime has declined across the board with homicides at their lowest rate in a decade.

This is an achievement not only for SPD but for our community as a whole.

Crime has been reduced through targeted strategies and smarter deployment of officers, but perhaps more importantly, it is a result of stronger partnerships throughout the community.

Fostering these relationships requires strong leadership, and I could not be more proud than to be carrying our efforts forward with my newly appointed chief of police, Mark Russon.

First deputy chief, Rich Trudell, and Deputy Chiefs, Jason Tom, James Milana, and David Metz.

And the ongoing work of our chief accountability officer Jawad Rashid and the rest of the command staff.

Would you all stand tonight and be recognized?

I want to thank each of you for your service and your commitment to our community.

Chief Russell understands that trust needs to be earned by listening to the community we serve, increasing transparency of our operations, and continuing to build strong relationships with residents, neighborhood leaders, and community-based organizations.

He understands this is not a task to be completed, but an ongoing responsibility of his leadership.

In an effort to achieve appropriate standing staffing levels, with the help of Chief Russin, we reached a tentative agreement with the Syracuse Police Benevolent Association to implement a pilot program that pauses the residency requirement for new recruits.

I continue to fundamentally believe residency is in the best interest of our newest officers.

That said, I must face the realities of a police force facing fewer applicants and an increasing number of well-earned retirements.

We will assess results as we enter into contract negotiations next year.

The Syracuse Police Department will develop and implement a dedicated command school for lieutenants and captains focused on strengthening community partnerships, enhancing problem solving skills, and promoting procedurally sound policing practices.

This program will be among the few command schools offered in New York State.

In addition, in 2026, the department will introduce a series of panel discussions featuring local community leaders, clergy, and community activists.

These panels will provide officers with valuable insight into how the historic context of policing in Syracuse has influenced current policies and procedures and will mark the first time these community voices have directly instructed academy recruits.

The goal of this initiative is to deepen officers' understanding of the relationship between law enforcement practices and their broader social impact.

I'm so committed, I'm also committed to identify a more efficient use of our community service officers.

We will innovate, adapt, remain laser focused on the needs of the people we serve.

Syracuse deserves nothing less.

Over the past eight years, I have worked closely with Fire Chief Mike Mons and his dedicated command staff to reimagine what our fire department must be in order to meet the demands of today and the realities of tomorrow.

Chief Mons now enters his ninth year as fire chief.

Thank you, dearly.

In the history of the department's 149 years, only four other chiefs have served this long.

This continuity matters.

Leadership matters, but results matter most of all.

Helping to maintain that continuity and those results, I am pleased to recognize new Syracuse Fire Department leadership, first Deputy Chief Elton Davis, and executive deputy chief Lucas Tortarella.

Would all of the fire chiefs and personnel please stand and be recognized.

Today the Syracuse Fire Department operates from a position of strength, strength grounded in right side staffing, modern communications, improved fire stations and training facilities, a stable EMS partnership, and a deployment model built for the Syracuse we are becoming, not the Syracuse of decades past.

Growth in our city brings opportunity, but it also brings the heightened responsibility for our fire department to protect our neighbors.

This past year, the fire department answered nearly 26,000 emergency calls.

Through disciplined planning and targeted investment, we made a deliberate decision to prepare the fire department not just for today, but for the future.

As a result, the Syracuse Fire Department deploys from strategically positioned firehouses so that every address in Syracuse is now within two miles of a fire station and has an average citywide response time of two minutes and 42 seconds.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is the best in central New York.

That did not happen by chance.

It happened because we rebuilt staffing levels to meet demand.

It happened because we implemented a data-driven deployment model.

It happened because we stabilize an apparatus replacement program that delivers reliable equipment.

And it happened because we invested in fire stations and in a first class training facility where firefighters train every day.

I am thrilled that this spring, our police and fire departments will move from an aging, outdated building into a purpose-built facility at 1153 West Fayette Street in the heart of the West Side and next to PSLA Fowler, home of the Fire Cadet Program.

This state of the art facility will enhance efficiency, collaboration, and service delivery.

This opportunity represents a once-in-a-generation investment in how we support our public safety personnel and the community they serve.

As our teams prepare to move into their new home, I want to thank the Common Council for their steadfast support of our police and fire departments and this bold and complex undertaking, and that will redefine public safety in the city of Syracuse for generations to come.

Thank you.

The initiatives and goals I have set forth tonight will not be possible without addressing the fiscal challenges faced by our city.

They are real, but they can be addressed.

Our future must be built with intention through responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

While identifying opportunities to increase resources and most importantly, do it together.

My administration is committed to prioritizing and modernizing how city government works so every dollar delivers real value to our residents.

As part of my strategy, we will continue to implement infrastructure to allow us to better track costs like overtime and health care.

We will undertake the review of all city fees across departments to ensure we are properly being compensated for the services and the work we provide while still maintaining the affordability for our residents.

We will identify technology to improve and streamline our systems and processes.

This is the behind the scenes work that most people never see.

But it is the work that makes everything else possible.

We will strengthen partnerships with nonprofits, the county and state, so that we are not alone carrying the challenges that are shared by so many.

As I promised in the campaign, we will explore new revenue sources and plan to complete a citywide revaluation to better capture property values and taxes.

I look forward to working with Council President Paniagua and the rest of the council to get that effort underway in the coming months.

We will also explore new opportunities such as a land value tax to incentivize the highest and best use of property for economic growth.

And finally, to ensure more transparent budgeting process under the leadership of Budget Director Evan Loving, and in collaboration with the Common Council, my administration will meet the members of the Cowland Council in February and March to discuss the budget weeks before the budget is due to council.

We believe that better collaboration will result in better outcomes for taxpayers.

This is a moment to build stronger, fairer, more resilient city.

We've already completed the foundation, so the only place we have to go up, believe Syracuse is up.

As mayor of this city, I promise to serve this great city by governing with compassion, honesty, and accountability.

It is about people.