Syracuse Common Councilor Pat Hogan has officially jumped into a crowded race to see who will succeed Ben Walsh as mayor.
This is Hogan’s second run for mayor. The longtime lawmaker unsuccessfully challenged former Mayor Stephanie Miner in a primary more than a decade ago. He’s ready to do it again, at what he sees as a seminal moment in time.
"I think we are in an important crossroads in the city’s history," Hogan said. "And I think we want to make sure we get things right."
That means a mayor to shepherd the city through the impact of Micron and big changes in the downtown landscape. Hogan said he’s cobbled together a coalition of business and neighborhood leaders at the core of his campaign and will focus on affordable housing initiatives, more robust public safety, and creating a safe place for the city’s youths, by opening up certain schools in the evening.
'We'll be able to teach life skills, we'll be able to tutor the kids like we did before, even help their parents out," Hogan said. "I think that will be a great initiative for the city to adopt."
Three other Democrats including Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens, Councilor Chol Majok, and Syracuse Police Community Engagement Director Jimmy Oliver have declared plans to run. Hogan doesn’t rule out a primary or independent run if he doesn’t get the party designation. At 74 years old, Hogan said he's ready for the race.
"I’ll run an aggressive rigorous campaign going door-to-door," Hogan said. "I have enough money now to run a pretty good campaign."
