Dear Mr. McMahon:
I have run two campaigns for County Legislator highlighting the need for more transparency in County government. The issue I wish to address here is that of the proposed aquarium, details of which have not been made available to the public.
I know that it is your belief that using $85 million of surplus taxpayers’ funds on an aquarium will be a great economic benefit to the City as well as to the County. I have listened to your team’s presentation and read through the $125,000 study you commissioned. When I attend community meetings, I have taken the opportunity to ask constituents their thoughts on this expenditure. I know that many of my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, have done so as well. In my experience, an overwhelming
majority have expressed their opposition. The only positive encouragement I have received has been from a handful of hotel, restaurant, and construction representatives and two school superintendents.
Certainly, there must be a variety of viewpoints and I recognize that I regularly engage with a relatively small percentage of County residents. If such an enormously expensive project is to succeed, it should have the support of more than those who will directly profit from it. I believe it is our responsibility to inform the taxpayers about the aquarium and why you believe it will benefit the County and provide them an opportunity to have their questions answered.
To this end, I am asking you to have your team, along with their PowerPoint, hold town hall type meetings in the four quadrants of the County. These meetings should be after working hours to maximize the number of people able to attend. I will commit to attending every one of these forums so that I, and you, can be fully informed about constituent feelings and ideas about this project.
Mr. McMahon, I recognize this is a large ask of you, however, I hope you’ll agree that such an effort on our part is simply one of the basic responsibilities that we, as elected representatives, should fulfill.
Sincerely,
Mary Kuhn
Onondaga County Legislator, District 7
