For most of the past several weeks, we’ve heard how the controversial redistricting process has unfolded in Onondaga County. But many might not know the City of Syracuse is redrawing council district lines using a decidedly more independent and deliberate approach.
@fairmapscny Fairmaps CNY was among the organizations that called for an independent redistricting commission. The council district lines haven t been redrawn in 20 years.
The first eight members of Syracuse’s independent redistricting commission are preparing to take the next step in the citizen-led process to re-draw council district lines. They already have one meeting behind them, and they’ll hold a second meeting next week to begin to round out the commission.
City Auditor Nader Maroun is overseeing the creation of the commission as required by the enabling legislation. He says it seems fitting. I was involved in setting term limits back when I was on the council in the mid-80s. This is a natural evolution for me.
Audit backs Syracuse.com report that city paid police to stay home and finds it was even worse
Updated 10:25 AM;
Today 7:30 AM
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Syracuse, N.Y. ― A Syracuse police policy of paying officers who were sent home to avoid work during the pandemic cost taxpayers nearly $300,000, according to a city audit.
The department at the same time paid other officers overtime to fill shifts that could have been filled by officers who were paid to stay home, the audit found. How much overtime was spent this way couldn’t be determined because the city’s record-keeping is so “antiquated,” the audit found.
Syracuse Common Council outlines plan for independent redistricting, will vote next month
Updated Dec 22, 2020;
Posted Dec 22, 2020
Syracuse seems nearly empty as stay-home requests keep most at home Wednesday, April 1, 2020.N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com
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Syracuse, N.Y. Under a proposed plan for independent redistricting in Syracuse, a panel of citizens will be picked at random from a group of pre-screened volunteers to redraw lines for city council districts every 10 years.
The plan was outlined publicly for the first time last week, more than a year after city voters passed a referendum allowing the Common Council to create an independent panel of citizens to draw the city’s council districts.