Repairing I-81, repealing the county Flow Control Law and eliminating payments in lieu of taxes are three actions that Ian Hunter, the Conservative Party nominee for Syracuse mayor, cites as solutions to some key issues facing the city of Syracuse.
Hunter, 71, faces incumbent Democratic Mayor Stephanie Miner and Green Party nominee Kevin Bott in the Nov. 5 election.
Democracywise posed two questions on a few key issues to the candidates in the contested races in Onondaga County this fall. Here are Hunter’s responses:
The Future of Interstate 81
What should be done with Interstate 81 and why?
Hunter: “Interstate I-81 should be repaired. Whether or not it was a good choice to build it in the first place is not the issue. It does ‘work’ and since repairing it is the least expensive option (and we will be repairing it with borrowed money), we don’t need to pass on more debt to our posterity.” Added Hunter: “We have to stop spending. Someday, the chickens are going to come home to roost.” On the subject of building a tunnel 81 feet under the city: “We don’t need a tunnel. It’ll be like the Big Dig.”
Improving the Local Economy and Reducing Poverty
The U.S. Census Bureau reported in September that Syracuse and Onondaga County have not yet recovered from the 2008 recession. In the city, unemployment was 14 percent and in 2012 more than a third of city residents lived in poverty. For children, 55 percent were living in poverty. Those figures are a four-year high, according to the Census Bureau. And in Onondaga County, median family income in 2012 was $64,324. That’s compares to $67,661 in 2008 and $65,666 in 2011.
What specifically would you like local government – the County Legislature and/or the Common Council—do to improve the local economy and help reduce poverty? Why do you think your proposal would help?
Hunter: “The county legislature must repeal its Flow Control Law that compels all municipal solid waste to go to OCRRA. Savings to each household would be approximately $33.60 per year or $17,000.000 total per year at today’s rates. A ten year contract with Seneca Meadows would save Onondaga County $170,000,000. That is money that citizens could spend to stimulate the local economy. We could also eliminate payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTS) and economic zones. All of these programs have caused our community loss of tax base, uncertainty, and can be used by those with good political connections to gain an unfair advantage over their competition.” Hunter also quoted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, in his views on the role of government: “The values and virtues that once contributed to a coherent society have been replaced by a value-free government that rewards us when we fail and taxes us when we succeed.” Hunter agrees: “We just have too much government in our lives and business.” Added Hunter: “Also Public Pension Plans must be changed from benefit based to contribution based.”
(John Tummino is a junior with dual majors in broadcast and digital journalism and political science.)
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