The story of Ben Walsh’s victory in the Syracuse mayoral race has swept the national political landscape. I sat down with the mayor-elect to reflect on his campaign and discuss the future he envisions for the city and how it relates to Syracuse University.
Jefferson Fenner: Why do you believe that this was the best time to run for mayor of Syracuse?
Ben Walsh: Well, I spent six years working in City Hall as the city’s director of economic development and I felt like I was able to accomplish quite a bit. My experience was when we as a community are most successful is when we have everyone pushing in the same direction, when we get our leaders on the same page where we are willing to set aside our differences and work toward a specific goal.
I think that I was able to do that in my role as economic development director on projects like the Hotel Syracuse and on the (Greater Syracuse) Land Bank, and as I began to survey the field and realized that Mayor (Stephanie) Miner’s term was coming to an end, I felt like the ability to bring people together and get things done was the most important quality for our next mayor, and I felt like I was the best person to do that.
J.F.: What is the first problem you look to solve in the city?
B.W.: I think that the issue of poverty really impacts every element of our community. For quality of life, a lot of the quality of life issues, whether it’s blighted properties or crime — a lot of those issues stem from people that are living in poverty. With economic achievement, I’ve always been quick to point out that it’s not that our students aren’t smart enough or that our teachers aren’t good enough, it’s simply that if you look at the correlation between poverty and academic achievement, there’s almost a direct correlation. Students that are living in poverty have a lot of barriers that are put in front of them that make it harder for them to be put in a position to achieve academically.
For economic opportunity, jobs aren’t the only solution, but they’re a big part of the solution. If we can bring more jobs to this community and put people in a better position to get those jobs, that solves a lot of our problems. So poverty is a common thread throughout.
J.F.: You weren’t able to clinch the Republican Party nomination. What made you stay in the race without the backing of a major party?
B.W.: When I set out to run, I did so with the conviction that I was not going to enroll in a party. I had never been affiliated with a party, and I thought to enroll in a party just for the sake of running for mayor would be disingenuous.
So when I made that decision, I also made the decision that I wasn’t going to base my campaign on securing a major party endorsement. I knew that was a long shot. I knew that was something I was willing to pursue, but it was never about securing either of the major party endorsements.
I had conversations with leaders in both parties. My conversations with the Republicans went further, but ultimately when it became clear they weren’t going to consider me for an endorsement, I moved on. It was never based on that.
I was going to be pragmatic in my approach to getting on the ballot. I was willing to have conversations with parties that were interested in supporting me, and after it was clear the Republicans weren’t, I kept going. We were able to earn our way onto the ballot in multiple places and ended up where we wanted to be.
J.F.: Shifting gears more toward the Hill, Syracuse University is a big part of the community. Do you think the university community is doing enough to integrate itself into the city?
B.W.: I think Syracuse University and all of our large medical and educational institutions are significant assets for the city. They’re employment hubs. They bring with them a lot of investment and amenities that we wouldn’t otherwise have. So, I value them. That being said, strictly from the city’s perspective, the city is tasked with delivering services to those institutions along with everyone else in the city, and we do that largely through our collection of taxes, specifically property taxes. Without property taxes being generated from those institutions, it does cause a strain on the city’s resources.
So, I’m looking forward to having open and honest conversations with all the leaders of all the institutions. I want all of us to have an opportunity to talk about where we think we add value to each other. It has to be a mutually beneficial relationship. I will always want to see the institutions doing more to invest and engage in the city, whether it’s by something as simple as entering into a service agreement to compensate for property taxes.
We’re not able to go back to the previous (Chancellor Nancy) Cantor administration at SU, and we’re looking at different ways to do scholarship in action, to get students engaged in the community to be adding value to the community. There are a lot of different ways to do it; there’s not just one. And I look forward to exploring those ways and doing everything I can to make sure these institutions and those that work and are learning there are engaged with the city.
J.F.: What do you want to ask of the SU community, the faculty and the student body, as mayor of the city?
B.W.: Just to be engaged in the community beyond the walls of the institutions. Read the newspaper, go to public meetings, make sure your voice is heard, register to vote, invest in the city. I think in doing so, whether you’re here for the short term or the long term, it will provide for a more beneficial and productive experience for you while you’re here and it will help to enrich the lives of those of us that live here permanently.
Again, it’s all about finding opportunities for everyone to mutually benefit. For as long as you’re living here, be an engaged resident, an engaged citizen, and try to find ways to give back to the community that has given you so much.
J.F.: There are some people who are still upset regarding the results. What would you want to say to the supporters of your opponents?
B.W.: I pride myself on having built a broad, diverse coalition. My doors are wide open to those that want to be a part of it. What bonds us is not any political affiliation or any other label; it’s simply that we want to see the best for the citizens of the city of Syracuse. I truly believe that those who were supporting other candidates also want to see what’s best for the city. They obviously felt that their candidate was going to be the right person to do that. That didn’t turn out to be the case. But I see value in all of my opponents. I see value in the supporters of all of my opponents and for those who are willing and ready to get engaged with my administration and part of the solution, I welcome them.
Jefferson Fenner is a sophomore broadcast and digital journalism major and political science minor. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at jfenner@syr.edu or on Twitter @jeffersonfenner.
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