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Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon spoke of the county’s success in its coronavirus response and vaccination efforts at his State of the County Address on Wednesday. 

In his address, which was held in Syracuse University’s National Veterans Resource Center, McMahon thanked several of the essential workers who helped with the county’s COVID-19 response. 

“These partnerships proved resilient and stronger than ever in the face of this deadly virus,” he said. “All of your efforts literally saved lives. The state of our county is strong and our future is bright and promising.”

Essential workers and residents across the county — including those working in government, health care, education and essential businesses— worked together to limit the spread of the virus and protect residents who were most vulnerable to COVID-19, he said. County officials also worked to help local businesses stay afloat amid the pandemic, he said. 

With vaccine distribution continuing to increase, McMahon said he plans to “crush COVID” over the next few months. 

“From the first dose to today, the vaccine gives us hope,” he said. “We can see the relief and hopefulness on people’s faces as they leave the vaccine clinic. We won’t stop until everyone who wants a vaccine has been vaccinated.”

McMahon also addressed several challenges Onondaga County faced throughout the pandemic, many of which are still prominent.

The county has seen a rise in poverty and unemployment since the pandemic began, he said. Applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — monthly supplements for purchasing nutritious foods — increased by 26%, and applications for Medicaid increased by about 9%. 

The county has also suffered financially during the pandemic. The 2021 budget was about $85 million less than the 2020 budget due to a loss in sales tax revenue and a 20% reduction in state aid, McMahon said.

“In the 2021 budget, we made decisions we could control,” he said. “We cannot control revenue, but we can control spending.”

With more businesses, including Amazon, expanding operations within Onondaga County, McMahon expects over 1900 new jobs to become available over the next few years. Amazon announced in May that it would open an Onondaga County distribution center in September 2021. 

Ultra Dairy, a DeWitt-based food processing company, and Empire Polymer Solutions, a Rochester-based environmental company, also announced expansions within Onondaga County.

“These projects are truly a game-changer for our community,” he said. “Our momentum and progress is real and is undeniable.”

McMahon also said that visitors at the county’s parks have increased significantly throughout the pandemic. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo has seen success as the first zoo in the state to open amid the pandemic, he said. 

The pandemic has been especially difficult for children, especially with schools and other entertainment sites closing, McMahon said.

The county partially reopened schools and has found that the virus has not been widely transmitted within the classroom, McMahon said. County officials are preparing to bring students back to the classroom five days per week, he said.

The county will also launch a mental health program for students that includes opening mental health clinics at every county-run school.

McMahon plans to continue supporting local businesses that have struggled amid the pandemic. The county is launching a gift card matching program that will match every $100 in gift cards participating restaurants sell.

While the pandemic has presented several challenges, it has brought the county together in some ways, McMahon said.

“We have experienced so much together. We have felt the anxiety, the fear and the pain,” he said. “We are stronger now than we were a year ago. We are strongest when we work together.”

Published on March 31, 2021 at 10:53 pm

Contact Mira: mlberenb@syr.edu