Voices: “Why I Voted That Way at Session” by Onondaga County Legislator, Maurice Brown
urbancny.com has given Onondaga County Legislator Maurice Brown a place to say to the public, “Why I voted that way at session”. Periodically, he will explain what’s going on at the Onondaga County Legislature. Maurice Brown represents District 15. On April 2nd, 2024, the Onondaga County Legislature held our monthly meeting. We cast votes approving funding for the STEAM school, corrected tax errors, and allocated money to protect our lakes, among other things. While I could speak on all of it, I only want to address one thing we did and another thing we did not do. Before the session, during public comment, it was brought to our attention that we had passed over Judy Jerome, a career Librarian, for an appointment to the County Library’s Board of Trustees. Ms. Jerome and her supporters spoke about how she had a Fulbright fellowship and was president of the New York Library Association. I thank them for coming out and giving testimony because, as the legislature, we only see the candidates whom the executive chooses. Instead of appointing Ms. Jerome, during the session, we were asked to confirm the appointments of Sam Edelstein, Mary Bilbo Coughlin, Esteban M. Gonzalez, Svetlana Dyer, and Desaree Dixie. While each of them is uniquely qualified for this role, none of them have the library experience Ms. Jerome has. I made a motion to reconsider the appointees. That vote went along party lines, with the Republicans voting against me wanting to send it to committee. Then the confirmation vote took place, and again, I was outvoted, along party lines. I find many problems with this vote. I could talk about how local Republicans are following the national trend against librarians. I could also discuss how one of the people appointed is a known political ally of the County Executive, with an extensive law enforcement background but no relevant library experience. However, I want to emphasize how, when asked to expand on what criteria were evaluated, the only explanation given to the legislature for these appointments was that the county executive felt “most comfortable with these ones at this time.” I believe today we failed the people of Onondaga County. We’re often asked to confirm several appointments throughout the year, and most proceed without much fanfare. However, this particular appointment feels different because we had a candidate who is both qualified and passionate enough to address the legislature, yet we couldn’t even bother to ask, ‘Why not her?’ I am grateful for my colleagues in the Democratic caucus for supporting my desire to pose that question. I don’t see this role as merely a rubber stamp, and it was disheartening to discover that despite recognizing this woman’s passion and expertise, which make her exceptionally qualified for the role, many of my colleagues still couldn’t be moved to even consider her candidacy. Moving on to the matter we did not address: the current housing situation here in Onondaga County. Last month, I held a Town Hall on housing, and I was overwhelmed by the turnout. I’m still replying to comments and question cards, but the biggest takeaway for me is that people want us to do more. Although the other legislators often remind me that we are conducting studies, such as the one being done by czb, and of the housing actions that are ongoing through programs like OCHIP, if the public doesn’t feel we are doing enough, and if report after report shows that the housing market isn’t responding positively to our actions, it’s on us to adjust course, or at the very least, to reevaluate the effectiveness of our current plans. I’m working with the Republicans in the majority caucus to get something done. Even I am disappointed in how slow I’ve moved, and how ineffective we have been as a community; however, I will continue to use every means possible to ensure we do our job as government and protect each of our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Sincerely, Maurice BrownOnondaga County Legislature, District 15
