SYRACUSE -- Mayor Stephanie Miner announced on Tuesday that a services agreement between the city and Crouse Hospital has been reached.
Crouse Hospital will provide an annual $50,000 payment to the City of Syracuse for four years, says Miner. The payment will help defer the costs of the police, fire and department of public works incurred by the hospital.
Right now, more than half of the properties in Syracuse are tax exempt with a total value of about $4 billion.
"Crouse Hospital understands we can not succeed as a city without our large non-profit institutions and our large non-profit institutions can not succeed without a vital and healthy city," Mayor Miner said in a media release. "This agreement shows Crouse's leadership and how important it is to have strong partnerships with our leading employers-our non-profits-to ensure we can move this community forward in challenging times."
Crouse Chief Executive Officer Paul Kronenberg, MD, says, "As a major contributor to the physical and economic health of our region, Crouse Hospital values it's partnership with the City of Syracuse as well as the services and support it's various departments provide to our institution 365 days a year."
Kronenberg went on to say that Crouse understands the City of Syracuse's fiscal challenges. He called the agreement fair and reasonable, considering the economic climate, and that it will not solve the city's current financial challenges but it does show Crouse's willingness to help with the issue.
This is the second time that Mayor Miner has negotiated a service agreement. In June of 2011, it was announced that Syracuse University would make five annual $500,000 payments to the City.
The two agreements are expected to generate $2.7 million over the next five years.
