Onondaga County was established in 1794 and is comprised of separate municipalities, which include the City of Syracuse, 19 towns and 15 villages. The Onondaga Indian Reservation is also located in the County. In 1962, a County Charter became effective which divided the County into 24 legislative districts with an elected legislator representing each district in the County Legislature. Under the County Charter, a county executive was established to administer county government. The County Executive is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Budget Officer of County government. The County Comptroller has responsibility for accounting and auditing of receipts and disbursements and is the Chief Accounting Officer. The County Executive and County Comptroller are elected to four-year terms. The County Clerk, Sheriff, and District Attorney are constitutional officials and are also elected to four-year terms. By Local Law No. 9 of 1995, the County merged the Division of Management & Budget into the Department of Finance, to be administered by the position of Chief Fiscal Officer. The Chief Fiscal Officer, who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the County Executive, is responsible for collection of taxes and other revenues, the custody and disbursement of all public funds of the County, and for the issuance of bonds, bond anticipation notes, and other financial offerings as provided for in the State Local Finance Law.

Pursuant to Local Law No. 11 of 1996, the County will be redivided into nineteen Legislative Districts with the first election scheduled for November 2001.

Onondaga County
Court House