Archive: News

Six weeks after receiving County Administrator Joe Mareane’s recommendations, Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee began to vote on recommended changes to the County’s 2010 tentative budget.  The package would decrease locally controlled spending to $73.1 million in locally controlled spending (a million-dollar decrease from the current year) and meets the Legislature’s goal of a no more than 3 percent tax levy increase for 2010.  Tonight’s session followed seven presentation meetings and was the first in as many as six more committee meetings scheduled to consider modifications to the proposed budget.

Before the voting on recommended changes began, Legislator Mike Hattery advanced a motion, which failed by a vote of 5-7, to recommend the County Administrator’s tentative budget as is, noting that the administrator would recommend changes to accommodate the projected $300,000 increase in pension cost for 2010, not reflected in the budget, which could result in a .8% increase in the tax levy.  Before the vote, Mr. Hattery noted  that, given the likely fiscal situation over the next two years, it is important to “take a very hard line on this budget.”  Legislator Martha Robertson maintained that, while the end result could be the same, it is legislators’ responsibility to go through the process in detail.

The following changes to the budget were recommended.  Tonight’s decisions may be reconsidered at later expanded committee meetings and require approval by the full Legislature to become final.

MENTAL HEALTH:

Legislators, by a vote of 11-2, recommended restoration of $79,664 to support services of psychiatric social worker assigned to provide emergency outreach services.  Legislator Robertson was one who noted the service is clearly needed and supported by the public.  Asked about the possibility of adding a half-time position to provide the needed service, Director Bob DeLuca responded he did not believe any reduction would be feasible.

TOMPKINS CONSOLIDATED AREA TRANSIT:

Without dissent, the committee approved a $15,437 decrease in the partner share for the TCAT capital program, as agreed to by TCAT, reducing the expense from $90,303 to $74,866.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT:

After considering a proposal to restore a Public Health Sanitarian position, at a net cost of $49,293—a motion that failed by a 6-7 vote—Legislators on their second try recommended a $49,293 target funding increase for the department, to be used at the department’s discretion.

TOMPKINS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY:

Legislators recommended adding $30,000 to the budget to help maintain current staffing levels at the Library.  An initial proposal to add $60,000 to the budget failed by a 4-9 vote; a motion to add $50,000 for that purpose failed by a vote of 6-7.  The proposal to add $30,000 (which had first been advanced, then failed for lack of a second) ultimately won support by a vote of 7-6.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION:

By a vote of 9-4, Legislators recommended adding $16,875 to the budget to support operations of the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board.  Funds would include the local match for a potential $50,000 in state grant funding to update the County’s decade-old farmland protection plan.  A motion to separate grant-related and operational funding failed by a 2-11 vote, and an amendment to fund at $10,000 (the amount required for the County’s dollar match) failed by a vote of 5-8.

LEGISLATURE:

By a vote of 7-6, the committee recommended $15,334 be restored to maintain hours of the three staff members in the Legislature Office at 40 hours per week, from the reduction to 37.5 hours that was necessary to meet the County’s target reduction.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES:

Legislators, by a vote of 10-3, also recommended $4,375 be added to the budget to restore the director’s hours from 37.5 to 40 hours per week.

Other Actions

A proposal, advanced by Legislator Dooley Kiefer,  to increase purchasing staff in the County’s Finance Office failed to win support.  The motion to add a half-time purchasing assistant, through three-year one time funding, was defeated by a vote of 5-8.  Both Legislator Kiefer (who had earlier sought the staff increase as part of the 2009 budget process) and Finance Director David Squires indicated the position would enable the County to more aggressively investigate purchasing opportunities that could save the County money, with the three-year period giving time to demonstrate the position’s value.

 
Potential Tax Impact of Recommendations to Date

In its initial night of voting, the committee added $195,521 in target spending to the County Administrator’s proposed budget.  If tonight’s committee recommendations were approved, the county’s total 2010 tax levy would increase by 3.53%, and the tax rate would be $5.97 per thousand dollars assessed property value, an increase of .6%.
 

The committee resumes deliberations Thursday, October 15.


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