Diana Sidorevich

Mayor Robert Palmieri in Utica City Hall’s conference room.

Robert Palmieri is a graduate of Thomas R. Proctor High School and Mohawk Valley Community College. Before his 12-year tenure as Utica’s mayor, Palmieri served as a member of Utica’s Common Council, Deputy Public Safety Commissioner and Codes Commissioner. His roots are Utica, hence his slogan, ‘Utica Starts With You,’ and the goal of his mayoral tenure—to grow Utica into “the best little city in America.” 

Palmieri’s term will end on Dec. 31. He will be followed by Republican Mike Galime starting Jan. 1, 2024.

Tangerine Managing Editor Diana Sidorevich sat down with Palmieri for a question and answer session in reflection of his service to the city. Transcriptions have been edited for clarity.

Q: When you began your term in 2012, what was the biggest challenge you faced as a new mayor? 

A. The biggest challenge was day one realizing while working with my budget director Peter Fiorillo, who is no longer with us but was a brilliant man. We were facing bankruptcy. There were no reserves. Our fund balance was at -$15,000. We were downgraded by all three of the rating agencies (Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch). New York State rated us at a high level of fiscal stress, roughly 75 out of 100. There was very little economic development going on. We had 13 commercial buildings that we owned. It was a very eye-opening experience. We sat down as a department and determined what was our best course of action before meeting with State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. We had two ways we could handle it: through having a control board come in and doing whatever they decide to on their or by tightening our boots and making some very difficult decisions to put a plan together. We put a plan together, which was very difficult, to cut the workforce by roughly 20%. Unfortunately, fire, police, codes, DPW, parks, and all departments throughout the entire city had to be cut, and we raised taxes on top of that, to make our revenues equal to our expenditures. That was extremely difficult. The decision was based on previous administrations not keeping their eye on the ball. At this point we went from -$15,000 in the hole to a fund balance of $14.2 million surplus, we’ve been upgraded by all three of the rating agencies, we sold all 13 commercial buildings and our stress level now with New York State.  

Q: What did you enjoy most about the job?

A. The biggest enjoyment is working with people, making very difficult decisions for the right reasons, leaving politics at the footstep and doing what is right for the residents. People often ask me, are you a Republican or a Democrat? My response is, I’m a Utican. That’s my first and foremost mission, to make sure that we do what’s best for the community, best for quality of life and best to move the city forward. You’re not going to make everybody happy. I think if we look at 2012 and 2023, it’s a different city. 

Q: What were your goals as mayor?

A. I always felt that Utica could be better than it was. In my past, I was in marketing and sales and traveled throughout the northeast. I used to be disappointed when I saw other communities growing and I felt that [Utica] was stagnant. I think a lot of decisions were more political than for the best interest of Utica. My personality is one that was not going to waver from my decisions politically or through personal agendas. The people believed in me and they voted for me and I was going to give them everything that I had to turn the city around. I look at myself as being unpolitical and just doing the right thing. I think the results have paid off. 

Q: What are you most proud of in your time serving as Utica’s mayor?

A. It’s building relationships on a federal and state level. It’s my department heads and every employee believing in my passion and my intensity. It’s putting a team together and it was a winning team. It took a little time for them to understand that it could be accomplished if we all work together. Looking back, it was everyone really rowing in the same direction, and I think that’s imperative when you have a winning team—it could be in sports or art, whatever it may be, you have to have people believe in you, and I think people believe in our leadership. 

Q: What are your thoughts on youthful engagement in city politics? 

A. I think it’s imperative. Just listening to kids, whether it be the Youth Bureau or the common council of T.R. Proctor (High School), as we do street sweeps and we’re reaching out and talking to everybody, people want to feel like they’re a part of the progress. It’s all people. Not some people. Everyone wants to be able to be part of it. It’s very important that you listen to everyone because I could see things differently from a young person, and that difference could be the difference of success or failure. Always keep your eyes and ears open to listen. 

Q: What are some areas where you hope to see college students or young people more involved in the city?

A. I think the more that they feel accepted, the more that they feel involved and I think we brought that to the table. We had more access and inclusion than we’ve ever had in the city and that was because of bringing everyone to the table. We’ve engaged with our youth, MVCC, Utica University and even Hamilton [College]. I think it’s so important that we keep the lines of communication open. If you want to retain people to stay here when they come, you have to listen to their positive and negative experiences and not to be afraid of change. Change is painful. People are very comfortable where they are and I think that sometimes you have to be a leader and you have to look at change as an opportunity, not as a threat. 

Q: What do you hope to see in Utica’s future as a new mayor steps in?

A. I want to see a continuation of our growth. I want to see a continuation of building bridges with our community, our diverse population. I think that has been and will always be a selling point for anyone, how diverse we are as a city. I think that is a catalyst for companies looking to come here and feeling accepted and having their employees feel that this is a city that they could call home because they are comfortable here.

Q: Do you have anything you’d like to add?

A. I think that the 12 years has been beyond my expectations and my love for the residents, it’s been outstanding. I can’t put words together of how rewarding it is and how proud I am of our city.