Archive: News

Robert Cree is running for Lansing Town Board on the Republican and Independence tickets.  He has lived with in Lansing for 17 years with his wife Elizabeth, and in Tompkins County for over 30.  They had two children, ages 14 and 10.  He is Associate Vice President for Business and Finance at Ithaca College, and serves on the Boards of Directors of CFCU, Longview, and the Downtown Ithaca Alliance.  His education includes a BS in accounting and an MBA from Ithaca College.

Cree wants to give Lansing more bang for its buck.  He stresses fiscal responsibility, and says he will bring financial and management experience to the Town Board, if elected.  He talked to the Lansing Star at his office this week about how his experience will enhance the Town Board.

Lansing Star: Why are you running for Town Board and what makes you the best choice?

Robert Cree:  When I started looking at running for Town Board it was merely because the two open seats that are currently served by Bud Shattuck and Matt Besemer -- my understand was that they were choosing not to run for reelection.  I had known that Doug (McEver) was going to run, but there was not a second candidate on the Republican line.

I started to look into it, and the more research I did the more interested I became.  I started to notice that the makeup of the existing board didn't have a strong financial or budget person that I could readily determine.  I thought that I could offer my expertise to the Town Board. 

I decided it was of interest to me and I thought I could serve in that capacity.

LS: The second part is what makes you the best candidate?

RC: From what I can tell among the other three that are running, I don't see or know of the strength of budgeting or finance experience in their background, that I would be able to bring.  As I look at any type of committee, Town Board included, to me a well rounded board or committee or any type of government structure has expertise in those areas so together, as a whole, they make a strong body.

That's what I can provide, and the expectation for me as a voter and anyone else would be what do the others bring to compliment or offset that?

LS: Are Town taxes too high?  Or too low?  The budget process is under way.  Are they cutting too much or not enough?  How do you view that?

RC: I think anyone's going to say taxes are too high.  The way I really look at that is what are you getting for your money? Do the current residents of Lansing feel they're getting their money's worth out of the current taxes?

That was one of the reasons I felt strongly about trying to get on board.  As Lansing continues to grow -- because I think everyone's expectation is that it should, really, sustainable growth -- does that make sense relative to what the taxes will be to pay for those services?

Some would probably argue they are too high.  I tend to look at it as 'is the value there for what you're getting?'  My role on this board would be to to make sure that the value stays there.

LS: Do you think the value is there now?

RC: I do.  Taxes go in conjunction with assessed value, so one could argue is the value of my property or the value of any resident's property too high or too low?  Then you start to puit the two against each other, but they really work in tandem.  The offset to continued stabilization is how can we create more revenue so that we don't have to continue to go to the fallback, which tends to be the taxpayers.

When we talk about growth in Lansing we need to look at revenue streams.  How can the Town create the different revenue streams so that the taxpayers aren't footing the bill for everything?

LS: That would be a way of not cutting back on services, and increasing quality of life?

RC: Not only not cutting back, but increasing -- providing additional services.  It really all goes hand in hand.

LS: How do you view development and the Town government's role in shaping it?  You can't talk about development in Lansing any more without talking about the various visions for a town center.  What is your vision for a town center and roughly a timetable?

RC: I don't think I have a vision for timeframe.  Lansing certainly could use a town center.  With that said, it's got to make sense from a fiscal standpoint.  I certainly don't want to put a town center in and start creating one just because they feel we need one if it doesn't make sense financially.

How are we going to pay for this?  There has got to be other avenues in addition to putting it on the backs of the residents.  When I started to really look at running for the Town Board one of the questions I asked was, 'How come Lansing doesn't have a larger focal point?'  You can come in from North Triphammer or East Shore Drive, but in between those two we have a great recreation center and recreation program in Lansing.  Those ballfields seem to be a center when there is activity there.  But other than that there are a lot of things that Lansing could use.  We used to have a small town grocery store.  I sort of miss that.

When I compare Lansing to comparable sized towns or even some that are smaller, they do have a town center or a focal point.  I really think the current residents would love it and it would help continued growth within the town overall.  I just think it needs to be managed properly.

I guess a roundabout way to answer your question would be of the folks that I've talked to a town center is on everyone's mind.  But it's still at the point of 'what makes sense?'  I've heard many plans.  Should it be in that area between Triphammer and East Shore?  Location, obviously, is going to be key.  I think that's got to be the first (decision made) and from there all the other questions need to be answered.

LS: There have been a lot of ideas floated, including this big thing that Kingdom Farm wanted to do.

RC: Yes.  My understanding is that there is a town center planning committee.  That's one of the things I'm interested in learning about, seeing what are the different points of view as to where that should be located, and then how is that going to happen.

LS: What is really behind my question is that some people don't want any development at all, so they don't care about a plan.  The trouble with that is that development happens anyway.

RC: Right.

LS: A town center is a way of focusing development.  Also, in terms of the other revenues you were talking about, really the other revenue stream comes from businesses locating in the town, right?

RC: There would certainly be a sales tax from businesses coming into the town.

LS: And Property tax.

RC: That's correct.  I was also thinking of grants.  Obviously (we would need) somebody who has expertise in finding out where the money is available and then writing a grant properly to achieve that.  It is very important for a college or university to run on gifts from alumni.  SO you refer to that as 'other peoples' money,' not the residents'.  That does offset the burden on the taxpayers.

LS: That gets me to my infrastructure question...

RC: Actually, you made a comment there -- when we talk about planning -- they way I look at that  is that if you don't have a plan that opens yourself up for things to happen that maybe people didn't want.  If there is a plan in place -- for any organization or any business -- if they don't have a strategic plan in place you're going nowhere, or you're going in too many directions that will lead you off of what is probably the correct path.  I would argue that a plan -- right, wrong, or indifferent -- if it's wrong you can at least fix it, but you've got to start with something.  I do believe that having those discussions and having a vision for how Lansing's going to grow at least helps everyone understand that this is what we're heading toward.


LS: Town sewer.  Is it too soon for the Town to try again?

RC: That's interesting.  I just had this conversation with a couple of other people.  I happen to live in a development that's fairly new, so our development is already designed and developed with septic systems.  You have people in areas like that that to put sewer in there will benefit them down the road, but currently it's an additional expense that they won't immediately benefit from.

I also know that when you bring in sewer that allows the density of residential areas to go up because you no longer need certain sized lots.  That opens the whole argument that you're losing some of your control on growth over population, schools, and things like that?  Do we have enough infrastructure in Lansing right now to sustain increased density?  A town center first might then help make the argument for certain areas of increased density.

For future development in areas that haven't been developed yet I think of that as a plus because how else are you going to attract people that want to put it there?  But for those that are already in place -- it's one of those arguments that depends on who you are and what your situation is.

LS: One of the proposals has been to have a limited sewer in the 'town center' central area.  Is it chicken or egg?  Does sewer need to be there in order to build a town center or the town center first to justify a sewer?

RC: If you're combining a sewer district with a town center it would probably make more sense to have a sewer there in conjunction with the planning and development of the town center.  I imagine it would end up costing more to bring it in after the fact.

First we need to know where this town center is ultimately going to be located.  Then we have to look at getting the sewer infrastructure in there, and then go from there.  Otherwise, if we've already started down the path of development of the town center and there isn't sewer there, that's going to be an additional expense, and probably more.

LS: The issue of natural gas drilling has been flaring up recently.  A lot of people in Lansing signed leases, but now there is a backlash concern about what's going to happen to well water and various aspects of the environment.  What can the Town do to control that and contain the consequences, and should the Town renew its lease with the exploration company?

RC: My understanding from the residential standpoint is that's really more of a state issue.  If I understand this correctly the DEC needs to approve whether or not the exploration and drilling is authorized.  I would be concerned, and rightfully so as a landowner, if the Town is also stepping in.  If the State has already cleared their concerns, then does the Town want to become a roadblock to residents signing this?

I would think the role of the Town would end up being educational, making sure the landowner has all of the necessary information before they sign.  From a number of the residents that I've talked with, it's not so much their concern about what happens if and when the drilling occurs, but, 'I signed and thought here and thought I was getting a good deal.  Then I find out that somebody down the road got a better deal.'  And there is a lot of animosity.  I think an educational approach could help them to get together as a bargaining unit, as you will, to get the best price for everyone.

Knowing the little that I do about drilling and the impact of it, I really question what the Town Board can do.

If we're able to determine that the drilling is being done wrong and it is affecting not only peoples's health via their well water or the infrastructure erosion -- if it's causing us to make more repairs to our roads -- then I would say we would certainly need to look into that.

LS: How important is bring rural broadband to Lansing.  How should the Town Board be involved in that, if at all?

RC: You're talking about cable?

LS: I'm talking about any way of providing broadband to areas where it is not available, or bringing competition to areas that do.

RC: In terms of competition, I would argue that's always great.  I think it tends to keep everyone honest.  Again, I would make that statement with the caveat, 'at whose cost?'  DOes that mean the Town foots the bill to have infrastructure put in for residents to have access or is it the companies that are footing that bill?

Being an avid Internet user myself I can't imagine being in an area where I wouldn't be able to get on the Internet using broadband.  Now I also know we also have the ability to access the Internet via wireless.  I think the (cell) phone companies have products to offset that.

It would come down to does it make sense from a financial standpoint and if there's a cost is the benefit greater than the cost for that?

LS: I'm not suggesting that the town pay for it, but there are certain things the Town has in its toolkit to encourage businesses to do things.

RC: I've got to believe that if Lansing continues to look at where it wants to grow and how it wants to grow, there should be constant communication with Time Warner of Verizon or any of the other providers of this type of service to let them know our plans.  With that in mind our expectation would be that they understand that and, hopefully, plan accordingly for putting in that continued infrastructure as well.

LS: What unique benefits will you bring to the Town Board?

RC: I had many years working in the banking industry and now working at Ithaca College.  Throughout my work environment has been tailored for management, finance, and accounting.  That is really what my drive is, bringing my accounting and budget and management experience and providing that to the Town Board.

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