Onondaga Democrats seek donor disclosure rules after aquarium transfer

Onondaga County Democrats are pressing for a local law that would require nonprofits to name the donor behind any gift of more than $10,000 after a $5.7 million transfer tied to the Harborview Aquarium project came to light.

The proposal, introduced April 14, would tighten disclosure around large gifts flowing into projects that mix public and private money. Democratic leaders said the public and the county legislature were not told ahead of time that money had been moved from the county-run Greater Syracuse Soundstage Development Corporation to the nonprofit helping fund the aquarium, and they argued that the transfer should have faced more open review.

County Comptroller Marty Masterpole’s audit reportedly revealed the donation, which Democrats said showed a lack of transparency around a major public project. They pointed to the county charter, which gives legislators responsibility for overseeing spending and protecting taxpayer interests, and said those duties cannot be carried out without clearer reporting rules when large sums change hands.

The aquarium has become a focal point in the broader debate over megaproject spending in Onondaga County. The original plan, approved in 2022, carried an $85 million price tag. Since then, the total has grown to $103.8 million. Public money covered the first $85 million, while additional support came through donations to Friends of the Aquarium, the nonprofit helping finance the project.

Democrats said the donation structure itself has fueled questions. They said 42 donors helped reach the final total, but 41 of those donors remained anonymous. That level of secrecy, they argued, strengthens the case for a local law that would require more disclosure when large gifts are funneled into projects with public ties.

County Executive Ryan McMahon defended the right of donors to remain private and said county lawmakers should not strip that right away. He also argued that the money was not taxpayer funds when it moved through the county-run entity. Democrats countered that the source of the money, and the path it took, still deserved public explanation before it was directed into a high-profile county project.

The dispute over the aquarium now extends beyond one transfer. It has become a test of how Onondaga County balances private giving, public accountability and the oversight that comes with spending on large civic projects.