Today, City Auditor and Mayoral candidate Minch Lewis questioned the City’s role in sponsoring the $6 million Clinton Square Project, underwriting the $200,000 annual operating budget, and staging a $30,000 ribbon-cutting ceremony:
"Our City has serious problems. Putting a skating rink in the middle of downtown will not solve them. No one is going to buy a house in the Valley, on the Northside or Southside, or Eastwood, just because they will have a skating rink Downtown. However, families will buy houses throughout the City when every neighborhood offers a quality neighborhood school and community policing, and the Mayor’s office is committed to redeveloping and investing in all 26 neighborhoods–not just Downtown."
"Although we cannot change poor past decisions, the Mayor can act responsibly now. I propose that the City transfer responsibility for Clinton Square to the County. The majority of visitors to the facility will come from the greater Syracuse area–not just the City limits. Because of this, Clinton Square should be operated by the regional County government. Clinton Square has the potential to be a first-rate regional facility, but it will take a regional marketing approach to ensure its success."
"Financially, over $200,000 are needed to run Clinton Square every year. Although the project will generate some revenue for itself, it will still cost City taxpayers over $100,000 annually. That money should be invested in education and neighborhood development."
Lewis also questioned the responsibility of the $30,000 ribbon-cutting ceremony:
"The City has programs budgeted for this year that are without funds because of the late State budget. It is irresponsible to spend $30,000, while the Syracuse City School District and the City have multi-million dollar deficits."
"On Friday, the Mayor’s office announced a list of several projects that were at-risk of being cut. One of these projects is $20,000 for improvements to the baseball fields for the Le Moyne Little League. These fields could easily be saved for years to come with the $30,000 that the City is spending on this 1-day ribbon-cutting."
"It is inappropriate for the City to sponsor such a grand opening. Clinton Square does not belong to the City. It belongs to the whole community. We must think regionally. The Mayor must remember that the center of the City is the heart of the County. By acting parochially, the Mayor is missing an opportunity to build a true partnership with the County and celebrate all of Central New York."
Lewis will not attend the event tomorrow, because of his opposition to the extravagance of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.