Walsh vetoes spending $75K in Covid stimulus money on Syracuse basketball mural

"Syracuse Trailblazers" mural

The mural will feature four of the city’s most significant basketball stars: Breanna Stewart, Earl Lloyd Jr., Dolph Schayes, and Manny Breland.

Syracuse, N.Y. — Mayor Ben Walsh vetoed a budget resolution that would dedicate $75,000 in Covid-19 relief funds to a mural celebrating four Syracuse basketball legends.

Walsh, in a statement, said he didn’t believe federal rules allowed for the American Rescue Plan Act money to be spent on a mural.

“I have expressed reservations about the process used to prioritize the project since it was first presented by members of the Common Council,” Walsh said. “In addition, upon reviewing the ARPA interim guidance issued after the Council’s budget vote, it appears unlikely the project is eligible under the federal guidelines.”

Walsh has previously expressed reservations about spending stimulus on the mural, but last week said he didn’t have plans to veto any council amendments. That was just before the federal government released more detailed guidance on how the money could be spent.

The Common Council passed a budget amendment approving the money last week in a 6-3 vote. The council can override a mayoral veto with six votes. If no councilors change their positions, then, they could override Walsh.

Councilors will meet Monday for a voting session.

The mural, as proposed, would feature four legendary local basketball players on a private building on East Onondaga Street. It was conceived by longtime Syracuse Jazz Fest Executive Director Frank Malfitano and would be painted by Jonas Never, an artist from Los Angeles.

In addition to the stimulus money, Gov. Andrew Cuomo included $100,000 for Syracuse Jazz Fest Productions, Inc. in the state budget.

Councilor Pat Hogan, who championed the mural, said Malfitano came to the council with the idea and was not seeking money. But, Hogan said, the council wanted to support a project that celebrated people who overcame barriers like racial segregation.

The mural spending has come under intense scrutiny in the last week.

Reps. John Katko (R-Camillus) and Claudia Tenney (R-New Hartford) both criticized the proposed use of the money. Katko last week said he supports the mural, but that spending stimulus dollars on it was “irresponsible and misguided.”

Thursday morning, Fox News aired a segment interviewing Hogan about the mural. Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer was critical of the spending, arguing it should be spent on infrastructure, essential workers and vaccine distribution.

Hogan said there are other plans to spend money on those items, and that the mural represented a fraction of a percent of the $123 million the city will receive in relief money. Hogan has argued that New Deal money was also used for public arts projects and that art enhances quality of life and has a positive return on investment for a community.

In addition to the veto, Walsh signed the remainder of the budget, including several amendments approved by the council. Those amendments allocate $1 million to Home HeadQuarters to build new homes and $250,000 to the Syracuse Land Bank to demolish blighted properties.

The veto is Walsh’s second in three-and-a-half years as mayor. He vetoed pay raises for councilors and himself in 2019. The council overrode that veto.

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