The 55th Mayor of Syracuse will walk into a transformational moment for our city.

I-81 - The redevelopment of Interstate 81 and 690 will require someone with the ability to communicate the city's interests and collaborate with local, state and federal partners through the completion of this monumental construction project.

I have participated in multiple community engagement activities through the draft and final environmental impact statement phases and collaborated with community stakeholder groups like, the Urban Jobs Taskforce, NYSDOT and FHWA staff to enact a historic local hiring provision within project contracts.

Highway construction is a different kind of hard work! I’ve worked alongside community workforce partners, unions and educational institutions to initiate Syracuse Build and the Pathways to Apprenticeship program to provide an accessible workforce pipeline for Syracuse residents, especially women, people of color, and veterans. The program allows residents to gain access to pre-apprenticeship credentials and opportunities for careers in building trades and construction.

The demolition of the I81 viaduct and its redevelopment into the Community Grid will fundamentally change the landscape of Syracuse and how we move around the City by righting the divisive national policies that decimated the former 15th ward neighborhood when it was destroyed to build the viaduct through the heart of the city.

As Mayor I will:

• Ensure regular and effective communication with the NYSDOT local team through the completion of both project phases that includes all eight (8) contracts of the project.

• Execution of Syracuse's $30 million portion of $180 million secured by NYSDOT in a joint I-81 Connecting Syracuse grant from the federal Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program.

• Increase the number of trained Syracusans equipped with the skills to work on the redevelopment of the highway and beyond.

• Work with community stakeholders and the NYSDOT to develop reconnected infrastructure that creates safe and productive synergy between roads, bikes, sidewalks, green space and people.

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING ARTS MATH (STEAM) High School - STEAM will be our first regional high school. A partnership between the City of Syracuse, the Syracuse City School District, Onondaga County, and Onondaga, Cortland and Madison County BOCES, STEAM will provide an innovative academic experience to students from SCSD and OCM BOCES component school districts. STEAM is scheduled to welcome its first class of freshman in September, 2025.

As mayor I will:

• work alongside SCSD to ensure the school and its campus remain a welcoming and safe environment for its students and faculty alike.

MICRON - the name brings hope for the possibilities that come with new industry investment in our region. Vigilance and strategic action is required to ensure investment and opportunity enhance the possibilities for us all. The company has chosen downtown Syracuse as their office location, sending a significant message regarding Syracuse's place in this moment and how our city lives, works and plays.

As Mayor I will:

• Facilitate housing development that meets the varying requirements of a growing workforce. I am committed to ensuring housing options that address varying needs of a very diverse community.

• Collaborate with our educational institutions to prepare the next generation of tech manufacturing labor force.

• A larger workforce requires varying options of how, where and when they relax, entertain and play after work. I’m committed to expanding the definition of a vibrant city by supporting and attracting amenities that meet diverse expectations.