Did Syracuse lawmakers abuse the state's open meetings law while making budget cuts?

Did Syracuse lawmakers abuse the state's open meetings law while making budget cuts?

Syracuse Common Councilors worked for a week to draft more than 70 amendments aimed at paring down Mayor Ben Walsh’s budget proposal.But the public was not made privy to the discussions that guided the councilors’ decisions as they hewed about $16 million of funding from the proposed budget.That’s because the Council crafted the changes in caucus, three councilors said. Caucus meetings are closed doors meetings meant for elected officials to pla…