Onondaga County is named after the Onondaga Tribe, one of the original Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy). The name “Onondaga” translates to “People of the Hills.” The county’s history includes indigenous peoples who originally inhabited the region and continue to do so to date.
Onondaga County was originally governed by a Board of Supervisors. In March 5, 1962, county residents established a charter and created a county executive. The county has seen both population growth and shifts in political control demonstrating the changing tides of opportunity and representation in the region.
- Over the decades, the Legislature has reorganized from 24 to 17 seats
- Legislative seats are not at-large
- Each elected member represents a district of approximately 28,030 people
- Elected members once served two-year terms until a ballot referendum passed in 2025 establishing four-year terms beginning 2027
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LEGISLATURE
The Onondaga County Legislature is the chief policy-making body for Onondaga County. The Onondaga County Legislature meets monthly and operates through standing committees that oversee various executive branch departments. The legislature’s primary responsibilities include (1) executive check and balance, (2) approving policy and expenditures, and (3) reviewing and approving the County Executive’s proposed annual budget, which is conducted annually in September.
In discharging its responsibilities, the Legislature operates through six standing committees. Each standing committee oversees the work of executive branch departments and is expected to review and study policy issues related to the subject matter under its jurisdiction. The standing committees also meet on a monthly schedule, with additional special meetings and joint meetings scheduled as needed.
The Legislature’s chief responsibility is to review the County Executive’s proposed annual budget, modify it as necessary and approve an adopted County Budget. The review is conducted by the Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee in September. The budget, with the committee’s changes, then goes to a public hearing in October, with a vote by the full Legislature taking place in a Budget Session in October.
REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE
Legislature meetings are typically on the first Tuesday of each month (other than holidays) in Regular Session. Additional Special Sessions may be called from time to time when pressing matters cannot wait for the next scheduled monthly meeting.
The Legislature is presided over by the Chair, who is elected by the members at the first meeting of the year subsequent to an election. The Floor Leaders are announced by the respective party caucuses at the same time.
