We are a growing city. Like it or not I began my term as Mayor with more open permits to build residential units than I believe the city has ever had at one time. This article is not going to debate the right or wrong of that status; rather, I will discuss the things we must do to manage the path forward. It has been hotly debated that roof tops bring business. Again, I am not validating or contesting that in this article: there are clear examples in our own county of cities who built mass density and no business followed, and there are examples in which prearranged agreements brought business along with density.
What our city needs at this time is to attract more business. There are multiple reasons why this is the time that we must do all we can to impact our fate as a city. More dwellings increase the need for services. If we are to offset the costs of those services, we need business properties as they generally hold a higher property value and contribute more in property tax. We need the sales tax revenue from those new businesses. Sales tax can be a vital part of the city economy. It is often mentioned that the city lost a significant source of this tax when RC Willey – one of our largest businesses – chose to close its doors in Syracuse. We are fortunate that at about the same time, state laws were enacted to better capture online sales tax; recently the city has received more due to online sales than we lost. It may be temporarily driven in part by the change in shopping habits due to the pandemic, but I think it is good to note that we as a city can find new options when we lose others. No one wanted to see a piece of our history such as RC Willey leave, but our job as a city is to react to those things that we don’t control and find new ways prosper.
Another factor calls for us to act to impact our fate: we have a highway being constructed through our city. History tells us that the way a city reacts to such a dramatic event shapes its future for many years to come. We see examples of cities that developed new economic centers to capture the benefit of increased traffic counts near a highway exit. There have also seen cities flounder when land didn’t develop quickly or to the best interest of the city. For this reason, we must plan quickly so that the land around our exits can become beneficial to all who live here rather than the millstone that weighs us down well into the future. Our citizens should know that facing this challenge is at the forefront of city leaders’ efforts at this time.
Even small acts can impact our fate as a city. When it comes to local businesses, our citizens have an opportunity to help themselves. When businesses open in our city, the support of citizens is critical to help those businesses get established. Consider shopping local as much as you can so your sales tax dollars help offset your taxes rather than the cities next door. Promote local businesses you enjoy. word of mouth is still a big part of the success of a business. Understand that beginning and building a business comes with some learning as well as great risk. Negative attention during these growing pains hurt more than just the business, it shows an environment that other businesses may deem too risky an investment. Consequently, entrepreneurs may choose to open in another city rather than ours. Together we can make our city more or less appealing, and the benefits impact you more than you may realize.
The city doesn’t start, own, or operate the variety of businesses we have or need in the city. Our job is to create and promote an environment where businesses can thrive. We will be looking to those who are planning a new business or location and do all we can to promote the opportunity in our great city. We will be reaching out to regional and national businesses and promoting the chance to locate here. Even with all we do, we still require a business owner to open, operate, and manage any enterprise. Help us support our local businesses and it will show other prospects they can count on community support if they choose us for their next location.
Finally, I assure you that city leaders’ focus is to build a better Syracuse. Your government may not always agree with the path to get there, but we collectively serve to see the city continually improve.
Respectfully,
Dave Maughan,
Mayor