Archive: News

The Budget and Capital Committee of the Tompkins County Legislature, by a split 3-2, vote today recommended that the County Health Department discontinue sponsorship of the federal Women/Infants/Children (WIC) Nutrition Program.  The measure, proposed by the Health Department and endorsed by the County’s Board of Health, would authorize the department not to seek renewal of the WIC program, by not responding to the Request for Applications (RFA), to be issued by the State.  Department officials maintain that increased workload and limited reimbursement for overhead costs make continued program administration difficult.

The vote came only days after the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee failed to advance the recommendation for legislative consideration.  While some members of that committee had expressed concern about how program service and clients would be affected by transition to another sponsoring agency, Health Department Patient Services Director Sigrid Connors today stressed that the State Health Department would be fully responsible for the transition and would the program at both sites until a transition was complete.

Committee chair Nathan Shinagawa expressed confidence that the WIC program can be administered effectively under state and federal oversight by another non-profit organization, and Legislator Jim Dennis agreed that the service can be continued elsewhere without services being diminished.  Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera, however, said that “privatizing” WIC would be a mistake, negatively impacting people of color and providing a disservice to taxpayers.  Legislator Pam Mackesey called the WIC program “the safety net of all safety nets” and one that should remain in the Health Department.  The recommendation is scheduled for consideration by the full Legislature May 20th.

Among other actions, Chair Shinagawa announced that he will propose that a community advisory panel, similar to that which has advised on the County budget process, be seated to help review county government spending, as one potential tool provide a “menu of options” to help the County assess its budget situation, especially going into 2009.  He also said he will suggest a review of vacant positions or hiring review as one possible approach this year.  Member Luz Herrera expressed skepticism about outside involvement at this point, saying the timing appears a bit late for the 2009 budget process.

Committee members also discussed the process for advancing possible ideas for cost-saving moves to achieve a reduction of close to $2 million in locally controlled spending to meet the Legislature’s 3 percent tax levy increase goal for 2009, including the best way to involve departments at this stage.  On May 29th, the budget committee will hold an extended budget review session, to which department representatives will be invited.

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