Archive: News

Matt Besemer has lived in Lansing for 11 years. He and his wife are raising two young sons here, and he is Vice President of his family's business, Cayuga Crushed Stone, on Portland Point Road. He is running because of his interest in keeping taxes under control and planning for growth in the town, among other issues. The youngest of the three candidates, he has a firm grasp of key issues facing Lansing.

 

Click here to view a comparison chart of all Town Board candidates.

He spoke to the Star in his office last Tuesday (10/25) where he discussed important issues facing the town and how he would like to address them.


Lansing Star: Why are you the best candidate? What unique benefits do you bring to the job?

Matt Besemer: I bring a business background to the job, private sector business. This is my first public service type work. I can bring the financial aspect. I have an education in finance. I've run a business for almost 12 years. I know a lot about budgets. I can deal with that aspect of it. I'm young and energetic. I've been involved in the community for a long time, and I want to give back more.

LS: What are the top two or three issues facing the town over the next four years and how will you address them?

MB: The two reasons I became involved were rising taxes and the planning of the Town, because it is growing so fast. The development and everything. Since I became involved and did some research into the position and learned about it, I've seen that water and sewer are a large issue.

So those, I believe are the top three issues. Water and sewer together, growth and rising taxes.

I plan to work with the county legislator as a representative from the Town, to be a liaison to help them out at the local level, and seeing what we can do about rising taxes and get that under control.

LS: Are you talking about Town taxes, County taxes, all taxes?

MB: All taxes within Tompkins County. Part of it is Town taxes, but I believe that the Town of Lansing pays more than our fair share of County taxes as well.

LS: How should growth in the town be controlled?

Matt BesemerMB: It needs to be planned for. You can't just take every farm field in our town and put up a subdivision. A lot of people think that. Sometimes with the taxes people are forced to do things like that. We have a lot of farm land here that is very valuable to our community. It needs to be controlled.

You've got issues with roads. As you increase the number of roads (in developments) you've got to add people to the Town Highway Department, because they need to be maintained. They need to be plowed. So it's not just put a development up, somebody gets rich and they move on. There are a lot of things to think about and they need to be planned for, for the future. If we don't plan for them now our Town Highway Department is going to suffer later on, because they'll be overworked or under staffed, or whatnot.

LS: Ideally how should water and sewer be implemented? Realistically how would you implement them?

That's a tough question, because... I've been going to the Town Board meetings. Hopefully if I'm elected I'll be able to hit the ground running, knowing what all the current issues are. I'm sure there is going to be a learning curve for me, but hopefully it won't be as bad.

I've seen the need for water, but I've also seen the other side of it, the affordability of it. There are a lot of people who truly need water. Drake Road, for instance. A lot of peoples' wells went dry this summer. There's also the issue of the quality of water down on Lansing Station Road, which is a big fight right now. But there are also a lot of people that it could be a huge burden for them, to have to pay that additional money to be in the water district.

I certainly see their frustrations. If they have decent water now they don't really need it. And then to have to be burdened with that additional bill at the end of the year, that's a tough issue.

LS: Realistically, then, how would you implement them?

MB: I guess I would look to see if there are some other programs at the State level to help out with the funding with these water district (extensions) where there is such a need. I know that has been mentioned before. Is there more of an individual hardship issue? Is there some other sort of help for the people that it would create a hardship for?

I'd hate to see people lose their houses and their land because of water.

LS: Do you mean something like adjusting fees based on the ability to pay?

MB: No, I think everybody should have to pay the same amount, but is there some public assistance at the State level to bring it down for everyone.

LS: What can or should the town do about services the County provides? For example, road patrol. Is it adequate? If the County were to drop it what approach should the town take?

MB: I think the Town should continue to push for road patrol. That would be a huge additional tax burden for the people of Lansing if we had to create our own police department. I don't think there is adequate coverage here now.

For instance, I called the Sheriff's Department about a month ago for a situation of trespassing on some property that we own. It was two hours before we heard back from the Sheriff, because they only had two people on duty that day and they were busy. They were all backed up. It was a good thing it wasn't a life-threatening situation, because to wait two hours to get a call back from the Sheriff, I think, is a bit much.

If we did have our own police department I doubt if our fees would be reduced at the County level. We'd still have to continue to contribute for the Sheriff's Department in addition to adding our own police department in town. So I don't think that's the answer.

The best thing would be to beef up our County Sheriff's Department.

LS: What changes would you hope to see in the town 10 years ahead, or 20 years ahead?

MB: I was looking at a five to ten year plan, but in 20 years? I'd like to see the development. Maybe get some more businesses in, not all over, but in the specific areas that are zoned for industrial, research and the business community. I think that would help out the town tremendously, bringing more skilled workers in.

LS: That's this area, down by the Town Hall, Drake Rd. and Asbury?

MB: Not so much Drake and Asbury, but in Ron Secord's development, where IMR is, across from Woodsedge.

LS: What would you like to say about your candidacy that I haven't asked about?

MB: I have been in the town for about eleven years. This is a family run business that has been here for over 50 years. I am dedicated to the community. I will take the position seriously. This is something I want to do. I've been researching it for a year or so. I've been going to planning board meetings for probably a year and a half, and Town Board meetings for about a year.

I have two young sons, and we're going to be here for a while. My wife works locally, so we're here for the long haul.  If I can help make the community better I'd like to try.

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