Policies

Policy Initiatives – The PIE Plan

As Onondaga County Executive, Ryan McMahon is working to improve service delivery and the quality of life for local residents through a concentration on programs and policies that focus on three specific areas:

• Poverty

• Infrastructure

• Economic Development

Ryan calls this his PIE Plan and he is committed to working together with the County Legislature and leaders of Onondaga County’s towns and villages as well as City of Syracuse and New York State officials to affect meaningful change. He is focused on improving the local economy to create opportunities that reduce poverty; while ensuring our infrastructure supports these goals.

Just as he did as Chair of the Onondaga County Legislature, in his role as County Executive, Ryan listens to the people he serves as he works to fix the problems of the past while focusing on the long-term success of Onondaga County.

Ryan is passionate about building on the momentum he has begun as Onondaga County Executive and asks for your support in the November election.

• Read more about Ryan’s PIE agenda here.

Reducing the poverty RATE

In Onondaga County, 14.8 percent of the population lives below the poverty rate. That is simply not acceptable to Ryan. He is working to maximize current County programs while assessing gaps in services to create an actionable, measurable road map for long-term success in reducing poverty.  While County programs may ease the problems of poverty, the long-term solution is jobs.  That is why Ryan is working so hard to improve the economic climate to keep our existing business here and attract new ones to our area.

• City/County Program Gives Panhandlers the Option to Work - Find out more.

• County Libraries Expand Program to Improve Broadband Access for Low Income and Rural Residents - Find out more.

• $100M Plan Public/Private Partnership Would Turn Syracuse Public Housing Into Neighborhood for All - Learn more.

• State of County Address Includes Major Focus on Reversing Poverty - Learn more.

• County to use $5M Federal Grant for Syracuse Healthy Start Program that addresses Disparities in Perinatal Health - Read more.

• County invests $235K for construction of seven tiny homes to help veterans in desperate need of safe and affordable housing - See more.

• Syracuse.com commends Ryan's recent order to withhold rent subsidies from any landlord whose property is found to have lead violations, citing in part: "We’re glad to see Onondaga County putting some muscle behind efforts to prevent children from being permanently harmed by lead paint." 

• More good news from Hire Ground program - Read more.

Investing in infrastructure

Improvements to our aging infrastructure are vital to economic growth and opportunity. This is especially true when it comes to wastewater management - a significant challenge for our towns and villages. Improving waste water management will improve our lakes and streams, improve our wildlife, improve our capacity to grow economically and make our community a better place to live.   

Ryan sees these problems, knows what needs to be done to fix them, and is already working with partners in the City of Syracuse and the towns and villages of Onondaga County to make change happen. By voting for Ryan in November, you become part of the positive change in Onondaga County, and ensure that this change will continue!

• Sewer System Repairs and Improvements are a Top Priority - Find out more.

• Syracuse.com editorial board calls for action on Ryan’s sewer repair plan. Read more.

• Liverpool commercial corridor gets million dollar makeover as part of McMahon’s efforts to revitalize County’s suburban main streets. Learn more.

• Fixing the county’s aging sewer system is an urgent challenge. Find out more about the issue and Ryan’s plan to address it in his exclusive interview with Channel 9.

• Continued improvements at Rosamond Gifford Zoo and growth of its zoo family improve the County’s park system. Find out more.

• Onondaga County’s 911 Center has been called “the Gold Standard” by a national emergency dispatch services expert. Read more.

• Syracuse.com: Syracuse/Onondaga County act decisively to address languishing properties: “In June, McMahon created a new local development corporation to seize tax-delinquent commercial properties and position them for redevelopment. First up are ShoppingTown Mall in DeWitt, which owes more than $9 million in back taxes, and the former Suez cogeneration plant in Geddes, which owes more than $1 million in back taxes.

  City and county property owners who pay their taxes are tired of carrying the load for property owners who don’t pay their taxes, don’t live here and don’t care about the community. Using these aggressive tactics, city and county government are forcing tax-delinquent property owners to choose: Pay up or give up, and let new owners make a go of it.” Read full editorial here.

Economic Development

By creating an environment that promotes job growth and expansion, Onondaga County will show area businesses that this is the place to stay while giving businesses outside the area a reason to locate here. Economic development advances will be made possible through:

1. Affordable Taxes

2. Increased accessibility to—and marketing of—our natural and man-made assets – including waterways, agricultural products, our modernized airport, and safe roadways - to attract visitors and businesses from major nearby cities like Toronto, New York and Philadelphia

3. Expansion of our parks, music, art, and cultural assets and offerings

4. A clear path to a more vibrant city core in partnership with City of Syracuse leaders

• CNY benefits from expansion of United Airlines service at Hancock International Airport. Find out more.

• Sale of county land to local business owner will turn an abandoned, polluted industrial property into a jobs-creating, tax-paying business. Learn more.

• STEAM School would help area tech and manufacturing companies hire qualified employees. Learn more.

• SRC announces addition of 130 jobs - an example of how county’s cluster approach to the aerospace/defense field is working. Read more.

• Liverpool commercial corridor gets million dollar makeover as part of McMahon’s efforts to revitalize County’s suburban main streets. Learn more.

• JP Morgan Chase has chosen Syracuse over 250+ other cities for a $3M grant for tech sector jobs - reinforcing the strength of our community and its leadership. Find out more.

• Redevelopment of Shoppingtown Mall site to town center would drive economy and improve quality of life in Dewitt and surrounding area. Learn more.

• Judge cites testimony from McMahon in ordering ShoppingTown Mall owners to pay $10M in back taxes. Read more.

• Cryomech - a global leader in cryocooler designer and manufacturing is expanding and hiring in Dewitt. Ryan said: “The best opportunities for economic growth will always be with those companies whose roots are right here. Read more.

• County’s Bond Rating Among Best in NYS including AAA Rating with Fitch Bond: In assigning the AA rating, S&P noted, “The rating reflects our opinion of the County’s very strong management with strong financial policies and practices under our financial management assessment methodology.” Fitch noted in their AAA rating: “Fitch views the County’s control over spending as solid in light of its successful history…to control costs and reduce staff size.”

• Syracuse.com: Syracuse area unemployment rate fell to 19-year low in June: This is the result of people coming together, rolling up their sleeves and working for the betterment of our community. 

   Onondaga County has continuously made smart, strategic investments in our infrastructure. 

   We have put resources in our schools and recognized that investing in our children while they're young is smarter than having to help them after they've made a mistake. 

   We no longer lament what could have been, but celebrate the successes we have enjoyed and the successes that are yet to come. 

   The progress is undeniable and we are on the precipice of truly great things. We are all in this together!

• Syracuse.com: Syracuse/Onondaga County act decisively to address languishing properties: “In June, McMahon created a new local development corporation to seize tax-delinquent commercial properties and position them for redevelopment. First up are ShoppingTown Mall in DeWitt, which owes more than $9 million in back taxes, and the former Suez cogeneration plant in Geddes, which owes more than $1 million in back taxes.

  City and county property owners who pay their taxes are tired of carrying the load for property owners who don’t pay their taxes, don’t live here and don’t care about the community. Using these aggressive tactics, city and county government are forcing tax-delinquent property owners to choose: Pay up or give up, and let new owners make a go of it.” Read full editorial here.