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good afternoon everyone welcome to the
city of Binghamton City Council special

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business meeting for September 15 2022
this meeting is scheduled to start our

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budget process with mayor cram's budget
address please join me and stand for the

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pledge of the flag

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pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America to the Republic

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for which it stands our nation under God
indivisible liberty and justice abroad

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thank you everyone
I'd ask our city clerk to please do a

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roll call for us for the city council
members

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present

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okay thank you Mr clerk to my city
council colleagues city hall employees

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and fellow residents joining us here and
from home good afternoon

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my name is Phil Strawn city council
president

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representative binghamton's sixth
district it's my pleasure to welcome you

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today for mayor Jared Graham's 2023
budget address

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this is the first budget mayor cram will
present to the city and the public

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when I endorsed mayor cram I said he'd
be ready on day one and while he's been

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in office for just eight and a half
months mayor Krim has given us some idea

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what we can expect today
his actions have followed what he said

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in his inaugural speech and what he
talked about since taking office have

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made clear his priorities
I think to Residents have seen

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unprecedented investments in public
safety and critical upgrades in

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neighborhood streets and parks
we've seen a proactive approach in

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Economic Development code and housing
and a commitment to deliver delivering

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results for binghamton's families
I'm excited to hear what's in store with

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today's address
on behalf of my colleagues on city

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council I want to thank the mayor and
his team at City Hall

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especially Chuck shager Lori Clift and
their teams specifically for their hard

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work preparing this budget
my colleagues and I look forward to the

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days and weeks ahead we'll be spending
ensuring the 2023 budget is when

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binghamton's residents can be proud of
it's my pleasure now to introduce the

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51st mayor of the city of Binghamton
Jared mcream

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good afternoon everyone
members of city council City staff

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special guests members of the public
those watching at home as I said good

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afternoon
the budget process is the most

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time-consuming annual project any mayor
will undertake there's no more important

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role for City Council Members than the
oversight and stewardship of how we

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spend taxpayer dollars thousands of
budget lines hundreds of touch decisions

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the 2023 budget is at its core a plan a
road map for how we will fund vital

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services our residents need build the
projects that our community deserves

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but budgets also make a statement the
one I will present this afternoon is

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reflective of binghamton's priorities
and values not just mine but of the

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thousands of residents who call this
place home

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today's budget message will speak
frankly about the challenges we face

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where we're headed financially in the
coming year the difficult decisions that

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must be made to secure a sound financial
future for the city

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the last eight months have left a lot
for Binghamton residents to talk about

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and every corner of the city
our constituents are seeing results

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neighborhood streets paved on the south
side lighted buildings torn down making

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way for new housing opportunities on the
North side and downtown

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on the east side the city partnered with
a startup to change the future of how

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municipalities Port concrete making it
cheaper and more sustainable

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we've taken bold steps on student
housing on the west side

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turning grassroot discussions into
legislative action to protect our

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neighborhoods
and we're chasing 10 million dollars for

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Clinton Street and the First Ward to
revitalize what could be the next great

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downtown in Upstate New York
we've broken down Economic Development

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silos raising binghamton's profile and
making headlines Statewide

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with our plans for affordable housing
taking on the owners of the Binghamton

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Plaza and as a municipal Trailblazer and
the multi-billion dollar New York

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cannabis industry on the horizon
we've made unprecedented investments in

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public safety doubling down on the
single most important service any local

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government can provide its citizens
we've updated our approach to code

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enforcement and neighborhood
revitalization and are energizing our

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downtown Arts District with
transformative streetscape improvements

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we've delivered these results all in
just eight months and we've done it with

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bipartisan votes from city council and
Broad support from the community

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the 2023 budget keeps that momentum
going so let's talk about some of the

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specifics
the city's total budget for 2023 is 97

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million dollars includes a 67.5 million
dollar general fund budget which covers

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day-to-day City operations and several
Enterprise funds that guide Services

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vital to the city such as water and
sewer Community Development refuse

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collection Golf and parking
the general fund budget is what directly

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impacts everyone's property tax rate and
where most city services reside and the

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general fund as of today has a healthy
15.6 million dollar fund balance

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the city's largest source of Revenue to
support those expenditures is local

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property taxes at 33.9 million dollars
in 2023

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and at 14.5 million dollars sales tax is
the city's second highest source of

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Revenue
state aid for next year will remain flat

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at 10.2 million dollars and although we
anticipate binghamton's first adult use

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Cannabis stores will open in 2023 I have
budgeted zero dollars in revenue from

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sales for next year we have no way of
estimating expected revenues from the

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local excise tax that will be on the
sale of cannabis in which municipalities

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get three cents for every dollar sold of
cannabis

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in the broad categories of how we spend
taxpayer dollars salaries and employee

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benefits represent the largest budget
expenditure at 56.9 million dollars the

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police and fire departments represent 64
percent of all salary costs in the 2023

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general fund other significant areas in
our budget our debt payments at 17.7

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million dollars 3.4 million dollars for
transfers to other funds and 2.4 million

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dollars for parks
and next year's budget includes 9.4

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million dollars in health insurance
costs which is a reduction of four

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percent from this year and we will pay
7.1 million dollars to the New York

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State retirement system which is a four
percent decrease for this year

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let's talk about some specific
departments right now Binghamton is at a

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decision Point as it relates to crime
and Public Safety

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Mayors Across America are facing Rising
crime rates in their cities and

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shrinking resources to address things
like Mental Health

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the same time law enforcement agencies
everywhere are struggling to retain and

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recruit members maintaining police
Staffing levels is one of our City's

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most pressing challenges
today the Binghamton police department

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has 19 vacancies due to retirements and
career changes

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specialized details like the community
response team and special investigations

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unit they do essential work but they
pull officers off the beat leaving a

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smaller pool of officers available for
the Patrol Division compared to say 30

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years ago
it's not just urban areas that are

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affected our community what happens in
Binghamton has consequences that extend

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beyond city limits as it relates to
crime

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the landscape here and how we choose to
respond to it directly impacts

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communities throughout Broome County and
the Southern Tier

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I view this responsibility seriously and
it's not one I will shy away from

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our future will come down to one of two
choices

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either we accept this as the new status
quo or we respond in kind and meet our

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challenges with action
and let me be clear Binghamton chooses

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action
we won't be indifferent to a changing

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landscape of crime or wash our hands of
an issue because local lawmakers didn't

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cause it
instead we will respond by investing in

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the measures we know make communities
safer

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that starts with filling every vacant
position in the Binghamton police

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department and being aggressive in
recruiting a broad and diverse candidate

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pool
in a good scenario the next Police test

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will yield 19 strong candidates who will
bring the Binghamton Police Department

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back to full Staffing in a best case
scenario the tests will yield even more

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quality candidates worthy of higher and
if we can hire them we should

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I'm pleased to announce that
binghamton's 2023 budget adds three new

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police positions partly funded by grants
these positions would bring the size of

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the police department to 145 sworn
members which is the largest in more

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than a decade
we know the Continuum of Public Safety

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is not limited to police on the street
it's not as simple as more cops equal

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less crime but Staffing levels are the
foundation of a strong Police Department

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a fully staffed Department means more
resources for community policing fewer

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Patrol shifts that are stressed to then
responding from call to call improved

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morale for officers and better retention
especially for our most experienced

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officers
Beyond Personnel in the 2023 budget will

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continue to make investments in other
public safety areas including our

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support for data-driven 21st century
policing

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that sets Binghamton apart in Upstate
New York

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earlier this year I announced the city
would allocate a million dollars to

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reduce gun violence in Binghamton the
money is supporting community policing

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efforts and other evidence-based
strategies prevention

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and other enforcement efforts through
the Southern Tier crime analysis Center

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I've heard from residents thrilled to
see bike Patrols in their neighborhood

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for the first time ever
and we're hopeful on another a number of

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different state and federal grants that
would help fund new training new

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vehicles equipment and other resources
we're aggressive in pursuing these

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grants to support not just the police
department

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but to keep the community safe without
overburdening the taxpayer

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for the fire department just a few weeks
ago I welcomed 12 new Academy recruits

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to the Binghamton Fire Department
the graduating class included four women

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more than any other class in the history
of the fire department that's a historic

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accomplishment that signals real
progress

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the 12 new graduates mean the department
will be fully staffed in 2023 keeping

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overtime costs at a minimum and
bolstering emergency response efforts to

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the more than ten thousand calls the
fire department responds to every year

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the new graduates are part of the next
generation of firefighters continuing a

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legacy of Public Service while ushering
the department into a new era

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earlier this year I announced a one
million dollar fund to upgrade and

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rehabilitate the city's historic
neighborhood fire stations the oldest of

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which was built more than 120 years ago
as you can imagine these buildings are

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in need of significant rehabilitation
using American Rescue plan act funds

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we're making an unprecedented investment
to upgrade these stations with new roofs

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HVAC improvements renovated bathrooms
and bunk spaces bring the station up to

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Modern standards these buildings are
neighborhood anchors and by working with

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fire Administration and the firefighter
Union we're securing their long-term

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future in those neighborhoods
and in a few months binghamton's brand

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new fire headquarters will open on Court
Street the 9 million dollar

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state-of-the-art facility will support
emergency response throughout the city

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Revitalize a key downtown Corridor and
provide our firefighters with the modern

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work environment they deserve
in 2023 the city will invest 14.8

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million dollars rebuilding our streets
sidewalks and other critical

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infrastructure infrastructure is the
foundation of local jobs and commerce so

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it keeps residents and businesses moving
new sidewalks and pedestrian

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improvements let kids safely walk to
school

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an underground utility upgrades making
sure make sure that our families have

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clean and safe drinking water
and I'm pleased to announce that my 2023

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budget includes no increases in water
rates or sewer rates

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funding infrastructure projects also
mean creating good paying construction

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jobs and more money flowing through the
local economy to small businesses

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early next year I will co-host a
regional infrastructure Summit with a

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chamber of commerce to bring together
the public and private sector working

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side by side to find Solutions about
cutting red tape expanding our labor

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force and securing vital state and
federal dollars for projects right in

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our backyard local municipalities can
look to Binghamton as a regional leader

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in smart infrastructure policy and
practice

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one of those Innovative areas is our new
pavement rating system a technology

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called robotics utilizes artificial
intelligence to map and analyze all 151

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miles of city streets so we can track
the ones in the worst condition

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prioritize funding and get them paid
next year we'll pave dozens of

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neighborhood streets and thoroughfares
including Floral Ave vestalab Holland

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Street Seminary Ave and Mill Street just
to name a few

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we're funding the second phase of a
transformative streetscape improvements

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in our downtown with 2.5 million dollars
allocated for upgrades on Washington

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Street Henry Street and Water Street to
grow our walkable Arts District

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and we'll also begin designs to
reimagine Memorial Bridge which connects

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downtown and Riverside Drive
upgrades will enhance that bridge which

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is at the true Rivers Greenway make it
safer and more attractive to pedestrians

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and cyclists this is a historic piece of
infrastructure with some of the best

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views of our two rivers it's about time
we invest in it

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moving out of parks the city of
Binghamton owns and maintains 36 parks

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and green spaces these public spaces
provide residents of every age healthy

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recreational opportunities and make our
neighborhoods more attractive to

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families looking to buy a home
our parks are some of our most most

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treasured assets we need to care for
them not just so they'll be around the

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next Generation but to unlock the
potential they have for the city

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on the South Side the city will advance
a multi-million dollar project to

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upgrade conlon field replacing the
flood-prone playing surface with

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artificial turf
the Bluff baseball field at MacArthur

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Park has hosted special moments for
generations of kids

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who look forward to playing there every
year under the lights but flooding

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issues have caused countless headaches
for Parks maintenance staff and led to

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unfavorable playing conditions new flood
resilient Turf will make conlon field

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our Region's Premier amateur baseball
field it can also be used for soccer

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football lacrosse and other sports in
the off season

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I've spoken to councilman Joe Burns uh
who is in full support of this

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investment in his district and I I will
say you know a year ago myself and

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councilman Burns happened to be on
opposite sides of a political campaign

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but in the months since my taking office
you would never know it councilman Burns

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has demonstrated a sincere approach to
working together and getting things done

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on behalf of the city it's a true Mark
of a public servant and I'm likewise

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committed to helping the South Side
succeed so Joe thank you for putting the

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residents above politics

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early last year the city changed the
management structure at the Ely Park

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Golf Course hiring a national golf
management firm to handle operations the

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results have been overwhelmingly
positive our municipal course is on Pace

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00:17:43,140 --> 00:17:50,760
to host more than 25
000 rounds in 2022. that's a significant

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00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:55,740
number of folks coming to the city of
Binghamton and Ely Park is safe to say

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00:17:53,100 --> 00:18:00,179
one of our Region's most popular public
outdoor destinations

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First Ward Park is a very special and
historic Place provides affordable

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00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:09,240
accessible recreational opportunities
for our community especially for

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00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:13,919
Binghamton seniors the course has even
more unlocked potential and contributing

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00:18:11,340 --> 00:18:18,179
to golf tourism which is an Innovative
marketing effort led by our Chamber of

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00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:22,679
Commerce that attracts tour groups from
across the Northeast to play at local

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golf courses these golfers Lodge
multiple nights in downtown Binghamton

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00:18:24,299 --> 00:18:30,720
spend their dollars at local restaurants
and our small businesses by making

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upgrades at Ely Park and supporting this
new management will continue to raise

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00:18:32,700 --> 00:18:39,539
binghamton's profile as a Northeast golf
destination provide residents an

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00:18:37,140 --> 00:18:43,500
affordable public course for generations
to come

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00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:48,780
next year we'll also begin the process
of reimagining the Parlor City Commons

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00:18:45,980 --> 00:18:52,320
crumbling and utter underutilized public
space in our Urban core between

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00:18:50,460 --> 00:18:56,580
Washington and State Street
new lighting landscaping and other

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00:18:54,360 --> 00:19:01,020
upgrades will make the safe safer the
space safer and more attractive as

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00:18:59,100 --> 00:19:06,000
downtown Binghamton continues its
revitalization our public spaces should

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00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:09,179
build on that momentum not detract from
it

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00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:13,440
next year's budget also includes a new
Public Works position dedicated to

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00:19:11,220 --> 00:19:18,660
downtown beautification and keeping
things tidy a busier downtown will mean

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00:19:16,500 --> 00:19:22,980
a stronger local economy we should be
doing more to make sure downtown is a

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00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:27,480
place visitors want to come back to and
residents are proud of

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00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:31,559
the 2023 budget also adds resources to
improve maintenance of code cited

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00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:36,660
properties and city-owned vacant Lots
two new full-time positions in the parks

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00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:40,740
department and new equipment will help
the city respond more quickly to High

249
00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:46,620
Grass violations and other code issues
that are bringing down our neighborhoods

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00:19:44,220 --> 00:19:51,000
residents deserve to feel safe in their
neighborhoods and in their homes

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00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:56,039
and right now too many of Binghamton
families live in substandard housing

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00:19:53,640 --> 00:20:00,179
a shortage of quality affordable housing
in Broome County courses many residents

253
00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:04,679
to choose between housing they can
afford and housing that's safe that's

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00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:08,100
unacceptable
supporting new housing development in

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00:20:06,539 --> 00:20:11,580
Binghamton was a pledge I made during
the campaign one we're already

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00:20:10,140 --> 00:20:16,020
delivering on
just a few weeks ago we announced a 24

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00:20:14,039 --> 00:20:22,620
million dollar mixed-use housing project
on Henry Street near mirabito Stadium

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00:20:19,260 --> 00:20:26,460
lost project will build seven units of
Workforce and affordable housing some

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00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:30,179
earmarked for artists who will live
right near the heart of downtown

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00:20:27,539 --> 00:20:34,020
binghamton's Arts District and as I
speak there are hundreds of affordable

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00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:39,059
units in the city of binghamton's
project pipeline totaling conservatively

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00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:42,780
tens of millions of dollars in new
investments in each of these projects

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00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:45,900
will add to the city's affordable
housing stock

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00:20:43,980 --> 00:20:50,280
we're using our allocation of federal
funds and local property tax incentives

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00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:54,840
to leverage millions of dollars in
private money and state support to make

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00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:58,740
these housing projects a reality it's
the most effective way we can use grants

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00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:03,539
like arpa and other Federal entitlement
funds to develop new housing

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00:21:01,140 --> 00:21:08,340
in affordable housing like many of the
issues I've outlined today Binghamton is

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00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:13,260
responding to a crisis that exceeds our
borders but it will not sideline City

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00:21:10,559 --> 00:21:18,539
Hall instead we're taking a proactive
role helping fund plan and break ground

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00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:22,220
on these critical projects setting an
example for other municipalities in the

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00:21:20,820 --> 00:21:25,320
process
Binghamton is leading on other housing

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00:21:24,179 --> 00:21:30,539
issues too
last month the city welcomist first ever

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00:21:27,900 --> 00:21:36,240
housing prosecutor a new position we
treated created to go after slumlords in

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00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:40,440
serious repeat co-defenders it's hard to
overstate the impact housing has on

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00:21:38,340 --> 00:21:43,799
families especially on the outcomes of
young people

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00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:48,360
without a safe decent place to call home
it's nearly impossible for students to

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00:21:46,260 --> 00:21:51,659
focus on school or maintain a healthy
lifestyle

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00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:56,400
bad landlords don't just affect renters
they hurt entire neighborhoods dragging

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00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:59,580
down surrounding property values and
draining City resources like code

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00:21:58,020 --> 00:22:04,140
enforcement and police
also make it harder for good landlords

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00:22:01,620 --> 00:22:08,280
who play by the rules this new housing
prosecutor is focused on holding these

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00:22:06,179 --> 00:22:12,380
Bad actors accountable it's funded in
the 2023 budget heading up enforcement

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00:22:10,740 --> 00:22:18,360
of the city's reformed lockdown law
Prosecuting illegal commercial activity

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00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:22,799
and other quality of life matters
each year the city stewards roughly

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00:22:20,820 --> 00:22:26,460
three million dollars in federal funding
through the U.S Department of Housing

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00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:30,600
and Urban Development to support
Community Development projects reduce

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00:22:28,740 --> 00:22:36,480
poverty and homelessness and grow
affordable housing opportunities in 2023

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00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:40,860
we will advance more than 220 thousand
dollars in youth programs through that

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00:22:38,159 --> 00:22:45,360
fund 157 thousand dollars in park
improvements and a quarter of a million

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00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:50,940
dollars Paving roads in low-income
neighborhoods more than 245 000 will be

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00:22:49,260 --> 00:22:55,860
will support blighted property
demolitions so we can continue to

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00:22:53,159 --> 00:22:59,820
eradicate dangerous dilapidated eyesores
block by block

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00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:03,600
these federal dollars help deliver some
of the most popular programs and

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00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:07,020
projects to Residents and ease the
burden on taxpayers

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00:23:05,159 --> 00:23:11,400
we have to be strategic and thoughtful
with these decisions my thanks to

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00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:16,440
members of the citizen driven committee
Our Community Development Advisory board

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00:23:13,559 --> 00:23:20,580
for their time input and guidance on
this process

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00:23:18,059 --> 00:23:24,840
last year we
got news that Binghamton would receive

300
00:23:22,559 --> 00:23:30,000
46 million dollars in federal relief
funds through the American Recovery plan

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00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:34,559
act also known as arpa as far as I'm
concerned this was just a down payment

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00:23:31,860 --> 00:23:38,039
to American cities like Binghamton after
Decades of disinvestment by the federal

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00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:41,820
government
with this funding we've allocated

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00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:45,360
Millions for projects like upgrading the
city's water Network to ensure safe

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00:23:43,799 --> 00:23:49,559
quality drinking water
we spent it on Hazard pay for essential

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00:23:47,460 --> 00:23:54,840
workers child care for families living
paycheck to paycheck and cyber security

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00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:59,640
infrastructure here at City Hall
as I mentioned earlier the city is also

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00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:03,720
using millions of dollars in arpa to
support affordable and senior housing

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00:24:01,380 --> 00:24:07,860
projects across the city six million
dollars was earmarked for these projects

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00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:11,760
in previous years and we're committed to
making more money available to meet the

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00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:16,679
demand and support projects in the
pipeline we'll also use 2.5 million

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00:24:14,340 --> 00:24:20,400
dollars of arpa funding next year to
replace more aging Water and Sewer

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00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:24,900
infrastructure
and today I'm announcing a new one

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00:24:23,039 --> 00:24:30,000
million dollar youth fund to support
programs and services for Binghamton

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00:24:27,179 --> 00:24:33,179
children and teens an investment in our
youth is a direct investment in our

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00:24:32,159 --> 00:24:36,659
future
a portion of the funds will support a

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00:24:35,159 --> 00:24:40,200
new partnership with the Binghamton City
School District to provide

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00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:44,460
trauma-informed care and violence
intervention we'll also fund youth

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00:24:42,419 --> 00:24:47,700
Mental Health Services and upgrades at
the Boys and Girls Club

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00:24:45,900 --> 00:24:52,020
building in the First Ward that has
served thousands of kids over the years

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00:24:50,340 --> 00:24:56,280
the rest will be set aside for local
non-profits as part of a competitive

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00:24:54,120 --> 00:25:01,140
funding round to develop and expand
Youth Services think after school and

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00:24:59,039 --> 00:25:06,000
summer opportunities youth employment
initiatives and stem programs for teens

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00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:10,020
the Community Foundation will serve as
our partner to effectively and

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00:25:07,620 --> 00:25:13,080
efficiently get funds out the door and
into the neighborhoods where youth need

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00:25:12,059 --> 00:25:18,419
the most
ask any teacher or social worker parent

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00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:22,860
or principal the pandemic has affected
our youth in a deep way from mental

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00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:27,480
health to academic outcomes and
behaviors anecdotally we've seen younger

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00:25:25,559 --> 00:25:31,860
and younger kids as perpetrators of
crime with this funding we're responding

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00:25:30,179 --> 00:25:35,760
to this issue in a meaningful way and
supporting our kids

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00:25:34,020 --> 00:25:40,320
I want to take a moment in detail to
speak about the city's refuse fund how

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00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:45,299
we collectively pay for garbage and
recycling collection

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00:25:42,419 --> 00:25:49,500
the 2023 refuse fund is roughly 4
million dollars it's supported by 1.5

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00:25:47,700 --> 00:25:55,080
million dollars in revenue from
residents purchasing those blue bags but

335
00:25:52,080 --> 00:26:00,600
subsidized by 2.5 million dollars in
million excuse me 2.5 million dollars

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00:25:57,419 --> 00:26:05,580
from local taxpayers and contrary to
popular belief blue bag revenue does not

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00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:09,480
cover the cost of collecting garbage in
the city in fact it covers less than 40

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00:26:08,220 --> 00:26:13,919
percent of it
that means binghamton's small businesses

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00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:18,360
who use private haulers or homeowners
who generate little in terms of garbage

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00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:22,559
like our seniors are covering most of
the collection costs through their

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00:26:19,919 --> 00:26:27,120
property taxes that's 2.5 million
dollars that should be buying snow plows

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00:26:24,419 --> 00:26:31,020
or paying cops or cleaning up our Parks
not bailing out a broken refuse

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00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:36,120
collection system
next year's budget calls for a slight

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00:26:32,820 --> 00:26:39,779
increase per blue bag 25 cents to offset
Rising costs of fuel and the cost to

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00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:45,299
actually manufacture The Backs
themselves it's a first increase in

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00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:49,860
seven years however institutional change
is needed in the way that the city pays

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00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:54,179
for its garbage collection and I do not
mean privatization

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00:26:51,900 --> 00:26:58,799
if you split the 1.5 million dollar in
revenue from the blue bags across some

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00:26:56,220 --> 00:27:03,600
20 000 households in the city
Binghamton households on average spend

350
00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:08,279
about 75 dollars a year on the blue bags
even when you include the taxpayer

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00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:12,140
subsidy it's still only two hundred
dollars per household per year

352
00:27:10,500 --> 00:27:16,620
and outside the city of Binghamton
households are paying private haulers

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00:27:14,279 --> 00:27:20,760
sometimes more than double that for
refuse collection includes many services

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00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:24,840
that don't come as frequently as the
city's once a week pick up and some

355
00:27:22,860 --> 00:27:29,700
haulers have extra charges for yard
waste collection in the city it's free

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00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:34,320
the issue is not with our dedicated
sanitation Crews who are working in 90

357
00:27:32,220 --> 00:27:39,600
degree heat and Sub-Zero temperatures
but rather the issue is finding a fair

358
00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:43,559
way of paying for refuse collection that
benefits everyone

359
00:27:40,860 --> 00:27:46,919
reduces our property tax burden and
ensures cleaner neighborhoods in all

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00:27:45,779 --> 00:27:50,820
parts of the city
I do not have those answers today

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00:27:49,140 --> 00:27:55,980
but I ran for mayor to be a problem
solver over the next months and years it

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00:27:53,460 --> 00:28:01,440
will be my focus to deliver Solutions on
this issue

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00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:07,559
finally let's talk about property taxes
I'm pleased to announce that in 2023 the

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00:28:04,860 --> 00:28:12,419
city of Binghamton will have no property
tax increase in fact it's a very slight

365
00:28:10,380 --> 00:28:17,820
property tax decrease for both
residential and Commercial Property

366
00:28:14,279 --> 00:28:21,059
Owners a 0.01 percent reduction for
those residential and Commercial

367
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:24,960
taxpayers
next year's budget puts the city's

368
00:28:22,980 --> 00:28:28,320
constitutional tax limit at under 80
percent

369
00:28:26,039 --> 00:28:32,820
a decade ago this number was dangerously
high in the low 90s

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00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:36,000
our community has needs just like any
other

371
00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:40,620
and as it's always the case in local
government the wish list that we have

372
00:28:38,159 --> 00:28:46,500
exceeds what there's funding for
and too often local leaders go to

373
00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:51,900
taxpayers again and again and again
asking them to shoulder more of the cost

374
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:56,700
I simply won't do it the responsibility
of both funding essential services and

375
00:28:54,360 --> 00:29:01,620
driving progress Falls to our Municipal
leaders not the taxpayers it's on us to

376
00:28:59,820 --> 00:29:07,080
make the tough decisions and protect
families from unreasonable tax hikes

377
00:29:04,860 --> 00:29:11,880
Binghamton cannot expect to compete in
job creation population growth and

378
00:29:09,179 --> 00:29:15,600
economic development if we do not have a
competitive property tax rate

379
00:29:13,860 --> 00:29:19,799
when I took office at the beginning of
this year I knew holding the line on

380
00:29:17,700 --> 00:29:25,140
taxes would be a challenge with
inflation and economic uncertainty

381
00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:30,120
those circumstances also underscored the
urgency behind our goal

382
00:29:26,940 --> 00:29:35,460
with families facing costs rising in
every other aspect of their life we

383
00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:40,740
needed to step up and deliver for them
some final thoughts this afternoon

384
00:29:37,740 --> 00:29:45,419
the 2023 budget took considerable time
to compile my sincere thanks to the

385
00:29:43,380 --> 00:29:49,679
department heads the entire Finance team
led by Chuck shager and Lori Clift and

386
00:29:48,059 --> 00:29:53,419
mayor's office staff for their efforts
please join me in thanking them

387
00:29:59,700 --> 00:30:08,100
the 2023 budget solidifies binghamton's
reputation as a city in action

388
00:30:05,940 --> 00:30:12,000
the decisions Investments and projects
outlined today are what make Binghamton

389
00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:15,480
the best place to start a small business
the best place for a young family to

390
00:30:14,279 --> 00:30:20,100
build their future
cities are often pointed to for our

391
00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:24,120
problems but in Binghamton we're making
sure we're known for our Solutions the

392
00:30:22,559 --> 00:30:27,960
meaningful steps we're taking to
revitalize our community

393
00:30:25,919 --> 00:30:32,700
in cities like Binghamton that give
residents the best shot to climb out of

394
00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:37,679
poverty where artists and entrepreneurs
have the greatest chance to thrive it's

395
00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:41,700
cities like ours that can offer an
affordable quality of life and the most

396
00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:45,960
for everyone who lives here
nearly a hundred million dollars

397
00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:48,899
preparing this budget I asked myself a
lot of questions about almost every

398
00:30:47,700 --> 00:30:53,399
dollar in there
doesn't matter to a retiree on the east

399
00:30:51,299 --> 00:30:56,399
side or a single parent on the south
side

400
00:30:54,419 --> 00:31:00,539
do our policies help make small
businesses Thrive do they support

401
00:30:58,399 --> 00:31:05,159
hard-working homeowners in the
neighborhoods they live in does this

402
00:31:02,340 --> 00:31:09,000
budget make Binghamton Street safer
the budget should not be the wishes of

403
00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:11,820
one elected official
which should act on the needs of an

404
00:31:10,559 --> 00:31:16,860
entire community
I heard directly about those needs on

405
00:31:14,399 --> 00:31:20,340
front porches and at kitchen tables as I
campaign last year

406
00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:23,880
I'm confident this budget reflects those
needs

407
00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:28,919
so with that I present to city council
and our citizens binghamton's 2023

408
00:31:26,700 --> 00:31:34,080
budget one that both protects the
taxpayer and delivers results for the

409
00:31:31,740 --> 00:31:36,380
great City we all call home thank you
very much