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TUESDAY
april 17, 2018 high 39°, low 32°
t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k |
N • Collecting taxes
dailyorange.com
P • For the record books
Common Councilors questioned a city department head on Monday about the funding for a new Municipal Violations Bureau, which will enforce Syracuse’s codes. Page 3
Books & Melodies, a local store selling books and vinyls, doesn’t plan events for Record Store Day, but employees see an uptick in customers on the annual holiday. Page 7
S • Dome makeover
Experts weigh in on proposed Carrier Dome renovations, including the localization of food products and the addition of better WiFi services. Page 12
Open door
student association
City leaders praise Mayor Ben Walsh for transparent start in office By Casey Darnell design editor
I
MAYOR BEN WALSH has prompted the city to install live-streaming equipment in the Syracuse Common Council’s chambers. kai nguyen photo editor
We’re all in this together. I can’t be successful without the Council working hand-in-hand with us. Ben Walsh
syracuse mayor
n his victory speech five months ago, Mayor Ben Walsh heralded his first term in office as an opportunity to “set aside politics and instead work together.” Just over 100 days into that term, members of the city’s Common Council said Walsh has stayed true to that vision. In interviews with The Daily Orange, councilors praised the mayor’s open-door policy and transparency, as well as his focus on constituent services. “We’re all in this together. I can’t be successful without the Council working hand-in-hand with us,” Walsh said last week after he presented his first budget proposal to the Council. Councilor Joseph Carni, of the 1st district, said it’s nice to have a mayor’s administration that’s always willing to answer questions. “I’m able to go down and talk to him on a regular basis and just have open dialogue, which I think is crucial,” said Carni, the Council’s sole Republican. Councilor Latoya Allen, recently elected to the 4th district, said Walsh gave the Council a heads-up before he announced a new sledding area in Burnet Park. Walsh, who campaigned as an independent last fall without the backing of any major political party, also made sure to invite councilors to the event, she said. Councilor-at-large Steven Thompson said the Common Council has weekly meetings with Walsh and that his administration has kept the Council informed throughout the budget process. Thompson, who previously served as the city’s police chief, also said Walsh has kept him involved in the search for a new police chief to replace current Chief Frank Fowler. Fowler was scheduled to retire last year but will stay on the force until the city finds a replacement. As part of that search, Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens has held public forums that give residents opportunities to ask questions and voice concerns about the next police chief. The third and fourth of the eight forums were held last week. Allen said Walsh has made progress on his campaign promise to improve constituent services by “being more accountable about what’s going on here and how it’s translated to the community.” Walsh’s administration has returned people’s calls when they have issues the city can help with, said Joe Driscoll, councilor of the 5th district. “The most frequent criticism you hear of government is that they’re not listening to the people, that they’re not making effort to hear from the people they’re meant to represent,” Driscoll said. Walsh’s administration is taking its position as a “public servant very seriously,” he said. The Walsh administration has increased public access to government through both public forums and live streaming of city hall meetings. As promised in the “state of the city” speech earlier this year, cameras were installed in the Council chambers in time for April budget hearings. In that same address, Walsh announced see walsh page 4
President details security cameras By Ryan Dunn staff writer
Student Association President James Franco praised the installation of security cameras along a portion of Euclid Avenue during the organization’s Monday night meeting. The security cameras are placed on light poles along Euclid Avenue and span cross streets between Comstock Avenue and Westcott Avenue. Crime in the surveilled area decreased roughly 50 percent between 2016 to 2017, Franco said. Reported incidents of the eight most prevalent types of crime, including burglaries, larcenies and car breakins, decreased from 49 incidents in 2016 to 24 incidents in 2017, he said. Franco said it may be too early to draw conclusions about the cameras’ effectiveness. The cameras were installed in fall 2017. But early see cameras page 4
su athletics
Tax law may affect SU sports programs By Matthew Gutierrez senior staff writer
Earlier this year, Tom McMillen was catching up with some members of the United States Congress. McMillen, a former professional basketball player and congressman himself, said he wanted to know why the sprawling tax reform bill seemingly targeted college athletics revenue. “They told me they felt college sports started looking more like a business,” McMillen said. “And they feel like athletic departments should be taxed more like a business.” Last month, the NCAA reported generating $1.06 billion in revenue for the 2016-17 school year, and some athletic departments have recently reported record revenues. McMillen is president and CEO of LEAD1, an organization that represents athletics directors and programs at the FBS level. While college sports remain largely tax exempt, McMillen said he
see taxes page 4