Ben and I have been friends since we attended kindergarten together at Most Holy Rosary. Throughout our 33 year friendship, I have seen Ben as a friend who loves showing off Syracuse and all the amazing things our city has to offer. Additionally, since becoming a small business owner, I have seen Ben as a great resource for people who want to make positive changes in Syracuse.

I went with Ben on one of the first Downtown Living Tours. I was living in Brooklyn at the time and was immediately excited for all the positive changes happening throughout Downtown Syracuse. Ben was so proud of the progress that had been made and so hopeful about Syracuse’s potential. Ten years later, I continue to see Ben’s passion for making Syracuse the best city it can be. I want a Mayor who truly believes things can improve and who wants to take on the various challenges to make it happen. I know Ben will work with residents, community leaders and colleagues to make Syracuse a place where all city residents can be proud of, can feel safe and want to invest in the future of.

Kate Gillen has lived in the city of Syracuse for a total of 33 years. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Owner of Sampling Syracuse Food Tours.

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