A Republican is ready to run for mayor of Syracuse. Janet Burman has won the designation from the GOP city committee. Burman is a former chair of the city committee, and lost a state Senate race against Democrat Rachel May in 2018.
Burman rebutted Mayor Ben Walsh’s State of the City speech last week. She said his vision of Syracuse as a city on the rise, is false.
“Syracuse is not rising, Syracuse is sinking,” Burman said. “Sinking into a pit of garbage, potholes and lawlessness.”
She said there needs to be a better focus on neighborhoods and job creation in Syracuse.
"The answer lies in all of that plus more,” Burman said. “More support of our middle class. More safe and affordable housing. More confidence in our police. And more respect for people of every origin.”
It will be an uphill climb; Democrats outnumber Republicans by a more than 2-1 margin in the city of Syracuse. Mayor Ben Walsh, an independent, is running for a second term. Two Democrats, common councilors Michael Greene and Khalid Bey, are competing for the Democratic designation.
