The Legislature is the chief
policy-making body for Onondaga County. The Legislature meets
on the first Tuesday of each month (other than holidays) in Regular
Session. Additional Special Sessions may be called from time
to time when pressing matters cannot wait for the next scheduled
monthly meeting.
In discharging its responsibilities, the Legislature operates through
6 standing committees. Each standing committee oversees the work of executive branch departments and is expected to review and
study policy issues related to the subject matter under its jurisdiction.
The standing committees also meet on a monthly schedule, with additional
special meetings and joint meetings scheduled as needed.
The Legislature's primary annual responsibility is to review the County
Executive's proposed budget, modify it (if necessary) and approve an
adopted County Budget. The review is conducted by the Legislature's
Ways and Means Committee during the last two weeks of September. The
budget, with the committee's changes, then goes to a public hearing
in early October, with a vote by the full Legislature taking place
in a Budget Session in mid-October.
The Legislature consists of 17 members, each of whom is elected from
a single-member district, which contained at the time they were drawn
in 2021, approximately 28,030 people. Three districts are located entirely
within the City of Syracuse, eleven are located entirely outside of Syracuse,
and three are located partly within and partly outside of the City. All members
are elected to two-year terms in odd-numbered years, per the Onondaga County Charter.
The Legislature is presided over by the Chair, who is elected by
the members at the first meeting of the year subsequent to an election.
The Floor Leaders are announced by the respective party caucuses at
the same time. |
