15 Facts About Ben Walsh

Benjamin Walsh was born on July 4,1979 and is an American politician currently serving as the 54th Mayor of Syracuse, New York.

Ben Walsh grew up as one of three children in the Strathmore neighborhood.

Ben Walsh received a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 2005.

Ben Walsh began his policy career working for Laborers Local 633, working on construction jobs around Onondaga Lake after his graduation from Ithaca College.

In 2002, Ben Walsh returned to Syracuse to run his father's congressional campaign.

Ben Walsh eventually returned to Syracuse to work for SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, educating municipalities about brownfields.

Ben Walsh worked on the Metropolitan Development Association, a precursor to CenterState CEO.

Additionally, Ben Walsh served on several boards and community groups around Syracuse, including serving as president of the Gifford Foundation board.

Ben Walsh was elected mayor of Syracuse in 2017 while running on two minor party lines, the Independence Party of New York and Reform Party of New York State.

In January 2019, Ben Walsh introduced his major policy plan, Syracuse Surge, at that year's State of the City.

In January 2020, Ben Walsh announced the Resurgent Neighborhood Initiative, a plan for housing and economic development focused on ten neighborhoods and business corridors throughout Syracuse.

On March 7,2023, Mayor Ben Walsh's administration announced The Safer Streets Program, a $1 million proposal from The Mayor's Office to Reduce Gun Violence and Lateef Johnson-Kinsey recommending paying known gang members a weekly $100-$200 stipend not to commit violent crime and to attend training, therapy and career coaching.

The Ben Walsh Administration claimed the purchase was estimated to save the city $3 million per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6,100 tons.

Ben Walsh worked with InterFaith Works, a local charity, to lead community discussions on Syracuse's Christopher Columbus monument in 2018 and 2019.

The petitioners argued that the monument was privately funded and that private funds were integral to the monument's renovation by the City in 1992, and that Ben Walsh lacked the legal authority under city law and a 1990s contract with the state to remove the monument or any part of it.