2026 County Budget
PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE 2026 COUNTY BUDGET – OCTOBER 2, 2025, 5:00 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Gunnip, Mr. May, Mr. Romeo, Mr. Knapp, Mr. Garland
MEMBERS ABSENT: Ms. Hernandez, Ms. Abbott
ALSO ATTENDING: Chairman Burtis, Mr. Meaker, Ms. Cody, Ms. Fiato, Mr. Olson, Mr. McCarron, Mr. Knapp, Mr. Bush, Dr. Kelly, Mr. Brown
Chair Gunnip called the 5:00 p.m. public hearing to order at 5:07 p.m. and stated that the resolution of the Legislature authorizing the public hearing has been entered into the record.
Chair Gunnip:
-Overall budget supports $220M in state mandates including Medicaid, Legal Aid, Temporary Assistance, Special Children’s Services and Child Welfare programs
-Temporary Assistance and Family Assistance have an increase in funding of 11%
-Daycare – Onondaga County has gone above and beyond; this budget includes $3.3M in local funding
-Lead – top priority with this budget including another $1.2M flexible lead funding
-Public Safety – top priority with over $1M invested in new drones and public safety initiatives
-Balanced budget with no use of fund balance
-Budget has the lowest tax rate in over 50 years at $2.93
Chair Gunnip thanked the County Executive, Legislative staff, and Legislators for their work on this budget.
The Clerk answered Chair Gunnip that the notice had been duly published.
Chair Gunnip called the following speakers to the podium:
1. Jill Hurst-Wahl, member of the Public Library Board of Trustees (statement attached)
2. Elaine Denton, Constituent (statement attached)
3. Christine Herb, Volunteer Coordinator and Support Group Facilitator for CNY Lyme and Tick-Borne Alliance (statement attached)
4. Jacqueline LaSonde, Syracuse’s South Side Food Pantry Operator (statement attached)
Chair Gunnip asked if there were any other speakers wishing to be heard, and there were none.
The public hearing was adjourned at 5:23 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMIE McNAMARA, Clerk
Onondaga County Legislature