Debt payments by Syracuse City make up 18.3% of our non capital expenditures! That's $1.3+ million in payments EVERY YEAR until 2020!
If we bond again (which is the equivalent of your or I getting another credit card because our others are all maxed out) that number will be much higher!
The city reported in their FY2012 Budget that 67% (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.