‘Common Council Office 314 City Hall Syracuse, N-¥. 13202 CITY OF SYRACUSE COMMON COUNCIL, May 8, 2017 Contact: 448.8466 For immediate release Majority Leader Steve Thompson Finance Chair Nader Maroun Syracuse Common Councilors will amend the 2017-2018 city budget to reflect a $10M increase in state funding for Syracuse schools; to fund 15 additional police officers; and to reduce other spending to use 2 million less from city’s reserve fund. $10M additional for Schools New York State allotted $10M that was not reflected in the 2017-2018 budget as proposed by the administration. Common Councilors are happy to authorize the school district to accept $10M more from New York State to continue the upward momentum in our Syracuse Schools. 15 newly funded Police Officers Council reduced Police and Fire overtime by $1M each, in order to add 15 newly funded police positions; which, when added to the 16 currently funded but unfilled positions, will be a total of 31 new police officers. “Syracuse police are already down 41 officers from 2014. With more retirements expected in January, we must take action now. This money will allow the mayor to bring on a new class of police recruits this fall so we can have them on active duty in our neighborhoods by the following summer,” said Majority Leader Steve Thompson. $2M returned to the reserve fund The City has generously funded Land Bank activities at $1.5M for the past four years, as requested and promised. The Land Bank now has a healthy fund balance, along with $2M from the Attorney General for demolitions. The city’s 2017-2018 spending plan contains no additional contribution to the Land Bank. “We are in a precarious financial position,” said Finance Chair Nader Maroun. “It's time for the City of Syracuse to secure its future. By putting two million dollars back into reserves, we are giving the next mayor a $28M safety net to provide a two year window to identify new sources of funding.” Other 2017-2018 budget highlights include: * $50,000 for the Literacy Coalition * $5,000 for the Youth Advisory Council eet