Archive: News

County Administrator Joe Mareane told the Legislature’s budget committee today that the County must quickly assess the local cost involved before deciding whether to seek federal stimulus funds as part of a regional initiative to extend broadband service to underserved areas.

Over the past several months, the County has been considering participation in a wide-ranging program, funded through the federal stimulus and proposed by the Southern Tier East and Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Boards, which would build a multi-county, multi-regional open access fiber-based telecommunications network. 

The administrator reported his office recently learned that, as part of the application, the County must commit more than $800,000 (an estimated 20% local match) in initial expense, and that there could also be additional ongoing expense to maintain the infrastructure.  As much as half of the initial outlay, he said, could come from in-kind services.

While this initiative could be expected to extend broadband access at a much lower cost than other options, Administrator Mareane cautioned that in these financial times $800,000 is a significant expense, and the County must think carefully about whether, and how, to participate.  To meet the federal application deadline of March 26, legislators, County staff, and members of the Tompkins County Council of Governments are being called together later this week to discuss the financial implications and reach consensus on how to proceed.

Both Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera and committee chair Jim Dennis said they are troubled by the need to make such an important decision in such an urgent manner.  The Legislature will formally consider the matter before a decision becomes final.

The committee today also received an updated estimate of how the Governor’s proposed 2010-11 executive budget could affect County departments and agencies.  That estimate now projects the Governor’s budget would have a $1.1 million direct impact on the County budget.  In addition, the report noted a $1.6 million aid loss for TC3 and another $1.1 million to human service agencies in the community.

The committee recommended that the Legislature formally urge the State to restore proposed budget cuts to community colleges and changes to the State’s Tuition Assistance Program.  With a proposed 15% reduction, Administrator Mareane told the committee that community colleges have suffered some of the deepest cuts in the Governor’s budget.

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