Invest in improving people’s quality of life
To the Editor:
County lawmakers should spend some of the $200 million surplus in programs that improve the quality of life for taxpayers.
Restore funding to the Health and Social Services departments and a program for mobile health vans after the cuts in 2019-20.
Fund the EPA fees for lead-safe training and certification to attract painters needed for lead-paint abatement.
Fund lifeguard certification fees to encourage youngsters in the lengthy training required.
Fund a suburban/rural gun buy-back program.
Eliminate the $7 parking fees at Jamesville Beach and Oneida Shores.
Improve pedestrian and cycling safety with more crosswalks, bike lanes, signage.
Increase funding to libraries and Onondaga Community College.
Such investments in people will generate far-reaching dividends.
Austin G. Paulnack
Syracuse
Help Syracuse reassess every property
To the Editor:
Onondaga County is looking for ways to spend its windfall (”Swimming in $200 million in cash, Onondaga County looks for ways to use it,” June 29, 2022).
A most significant and lasting use for the $5.5 million (instead of sending $200 to senior citizens) would be to share it with the city of Syracuse to bring full-value annual assessments to Syracuse real estate property owners. In past newspaper articles, the city claimed to not have the funds to convert to full value assessments. In the last two years, as property values in Central New York have skyrocketed, many long-time Syracuse home owners have not seen increases in their assessments while more recent buyers pay higher taxes due to the higher purchase price of their homes. The city of Syracuse only reassesses a small portion of their real estate annually. Converting to full market value will bring Syracuse in line with the New York State Assessors Association regulations and will be fair to the citizens of Syracuse.
The town of Manlius converted to annual full-value real estate assessments more than 40 years ago. Every homeowner annually receives a letter listing the current market value on which taxes are determined.
Nancy Shepard
Fayetteville
Trim overgrowth at Onondaga Lake Park
To the Editor:
I read the June 30 article concerning $200 million extra in the county treasury. I find it amusing that the county executive wants to spend it on big-ticket items, including an aquarium, and checks for $200 for senior citizens. As a senior citizen, I can suggest so many other ways to spend the money. How about fixing the roads, or better yet clean up the ones we have, remove the roadside trash? Or, how about cleaning up the Onondaga Lake trail? Onondaga Lake is a resource we already have and many people use daily. I frequently walk there and it is just an overgrown mess. In many places, there are benches and places for views of the lake where you can only look at weeds — no views at all. The overlook areas on the west side are so overgrown, it’s ridiculous. And on the east side when I am there, county employees are speeding down the road and seem to be doing nothing!! Spend the money on improving our parks and the quality of life.
E.J. Baker
Liverpool
Write to us: How to submit letters and commentary to Syracuse.com