SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A small group of university-area landlords who have successfully fought laws that would restrict their business are among the largest donors to city campaigns.
A half-dozen Syracuse University-area landlords spent nearly $20,000 in last fall's Common Council races – 12 percent of all spending. Now, the council is preparing for fights over two landlord-focused pieces of legislation. Some former and current city councilors say those campaign donations buy influence, while others say their votes can't be bought.
The Common Council is currently deliberating over a bill requiring consideration for housing voucher recipients and another mandating stricter inspections on rental properties. Each has been held up for weeks and will inevitably lead to a contested council battle.
Several other resolutions that would adversely affect landlords have been rejected by the council or deemed illegal in the past several years.
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the grease of chrony "capitalism"
ReplyDeleteGee, just like Salisbury!
ReplyDeleteBoda, Shields, Mitchell, Heath, Day, Dunn, Comegys, Cathcart - all got lots of money from landlords. Now landlords and real estate in Salisbury have joined forces and created a PAC through which they can funnel any amount they like to candidates without reporting who the money came from. For Salisbury, the days of grassroots, truly independent candidates winning an election are pretty much over.