The Bond Issue is a big concern for many Syracuse residents. How are we going to fix our roads?

Here is what the financial reports and budgets say (Click on the pictures to see them bigger.):

 

Our debt payments make up 18.3% of our non capital expenditures? Wow, that is a hefty portion of our budget. (A resident told us about this figure - but it is probably an even bigger percentage now because our budget is smaller than last year.)

One of the candidates was passing out a chart that combines the information on the debt payments reported to the State Auditor. Here it is:

Here is a link to the Financial Report the info came from.

$1.3+ million in payments per year until 2020 and if we bond again that number will be much higher.

The city reported in their FY2012 Budget that 67% (around 65 - 66% without the COLA) of our General fund budget goes to pay for wages and benefits, down from 76% 2 years ago.

With the debt payments and the wages and benefits, there seems little left to be spread around to all of the other needs the city has. What can we do to fix our roads? What do you think?