Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli (D-Syracuse) today announced Assembly passage of a measure he authored to create an authority that would help build two parking garages needed to accommodate downtown’s growing businesses and keep more than 1,500 jobs at Excellus and Hartford Insurance in the city (A.7110).

“As business and employment expands in Syracuse, we need to ensure that there is ample parking for the growing workforce,” Magnarelli said. “The Parking Authority would oversee the construction of two new garages that will provide the parking necessary to ensure Syracuse remains a competitive business location.”

Magnarelli noted that similar authorities are created across the state when local municipalities need to take on large public infrastructure projects.

“This type of authority is essential to finance and oversee a project of this magnitude,” Magnarelli said. “With a similar bill moving through the Senate, it is important that this legislation is moved forward, and ultimately signed into law by the governor.”