Archive: News

Tompkins County Administrator Joe Mareane today announced his plan to retire on February 1, 2018. Mareane has served in the Administrator's position since October 2008, succeeding Stephen Whicher.

Mareane will leave the County after a 37-year career in public service during which he served as the City of Syracuse's Budget Director, Assessment Commissioner, and Development Director and later as Onondaga County's Chief Fiscal Officer. He also held executive positions with the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and the Pyramid Companies.

Legislature Endorses Tompkins County Housing Strategy
The Tompkins County Legislature, by unanimous vote (Legislators Martha Robertson, Mike Sigler, Peter Stein, Glenn Morey were excused), endorsed the Tompkins County Housing Strategy, a wide-ranging plan to address the County's housing needs through 2025. Prepared by the County's Department of Planning and Sustainability, the Strategy draws upon information from past studies on the critical issue of housing, the 2016 Housing Needs Assessment and 2016 Housing Summit, as well as additional input and feedback received from community partners, the County Planning Advisory Board, legislators, and the public.

Before the vote, Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality read a statement from Committee Chair Martha Robertson, who has taken a lead role in helping to move forward the housing issue, but could not be at tonight's meeting. Robertson said, "In endorsing the 2017 Housing Strategy, the Legislature is making a very important statement of our values and priorities as a community when it comes to one of our most basic human needs. This Strategy charts an ambitious yet pragmatic path forward that balances the roles of the private and public sectors, of the different levels of government, of nonprofits, philanthropists, neighborhoods, and individuals. Many people have contributed to this document and even more of us, working together, will be needed to accomplish the many crucial goals that the County Legislature will hopefully be adopting."

Major changes to the federal tax code being considered by the President and Congress would have significant implications for New Yorkers, including the elimination of the more than $67 billion in state and local tax deductions reported by New Yorkers on their federal taxes, according to a report released Wednesday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

"The stakes are high for New Yorkers if these changes are made to the federal tax code,"DiNapoli said. "There is a distinct possibility that President Trump's plan will hurt New York's middle class taxpayers and working families and give a windfall to the wealthiest among us. We really need more clarity on the specifics of the plan to fully assess its impact on New York."

Washington, DC- Congressman Tom Reed announced Tuesday that 16 individuals from New York's 23rd Congressional District were granted Fulbright awards -- including one from Lansing, one from Candor, One from Brooktondale, and eight from Ithaca -- during the 2016-2017 academic year.

"The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious and sought after academic exchange programs in the world and it is our honor to congratulate these 16 individuals from our communities," Reed said. "These scholars have been identified as current or future leaders in their fields, and we are proud to have them representing our nation abroad," he added.

Washington, DC - Today, Reps. Tom Reed (R- NY) and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Act which would help small and medium-sized American manufacturers adopt smart manufacturing technologies.

Smart manufacturing combines information, technology and innovation to allow companies to make real-time management decisions regarding productivity, energy and costs. These advanced technologies are transforming the manufacturing sector, but due to a lack of staff resources, expertise and capital constraints, they are often only employed at large manufacturing facilities.

Property Tax Cap.  STAR Credit Checks.  Property Tax Relief Checks.  Property Tax freeze Checks.  Despite Albany's efforts to convince us we are getting some kind of good deal, we still have high property tax bills each year.  Any person with common sense would say that you pay the taxes that are owed, minus whatever exemptions, if any, you are eligible for.  That would be simple, and would not cost local governments much to administer.  But this is New York State, and Albany has never seen a complicated mandate it didn't like.

"How are regular people supposed to understand these?" asked a Lansing School Board member.  "They can't," replied Tompkins County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin.

County Legislator Mike Sigler and Town Board members Robert Cree and Doug Dake will be on the ballot this November 7th. Sigler, Cree, and Dake will be on both the Republican and Independence Party lines. With almost 330 signatures, Sigler turned in more than four times the number of signatures needed and Cree and Dake three times the number needed to qualify.

"It was a lot of door to door and I couldn't have done it without our team. Having both lines is essential to me and is a big part of why I won four years ago. I met with 140 neighbors, having them sign my petitions, and my team met with the rest. This is the best chance we have all year to get out and meet our constituents. Cree, Dake and I will continue going door to door, meeting with our Lansing neighbors to get their visions for the town and where they want the town to be in four years," says Sigler.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo yesterday announced $23.5 million for projects to pave and repair 146.9 lane miles of state roads across Central New York this summer and fall. The infrastructure investment, which complements "Central NY Rising"—the region's successful strategy to grow the economy and create new opportunities— includes projects in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. The projects will be completed this year.

"Safe and reliable infrastructure is the backbone of any economy and this funding will help ensure roadways across the region remain in good repair and able to meet the needs of New Yorkers, businesses and visitors alike," Governor Cuomo said. "This administration has made an unprecedented investment in rebuilding New York's transportation network, work that will improve the quality of life for residents and lay the groundwork for future growth and prosperity."

When a Jeep Cherokee smashed into the Lansing Post Office in January United States Postal Service (USPS) officials saw an opportunity to increase service to the Lansing community by opening the PO Box lobby 24/7 instead of the four hours a day it had been available.  But Lansing customers have been waiting since late February when the branch was reopened.  A USPS spokeswoman says that 24/7 access to the box lobby is still coming.

"The U.S. Postal Inspection Service assessment did provide a short list of items to correct," says Karen Mazurkiewicz. "Those items have been taken care of and now we are just waiting for their final approval. We hope the change will occur soon as we are as anxious as the community to provide 24 hour access."

Based on discussion and input received during three months of deliberation, the Tompkins County Shared Services Panel reached consensus Wednesday on the first draft of a Tompkins County Shared Services Plan.

Under New York State's County-wide Shared Services Property Tax Savings Plan Law, County Administrator Joe Mareane, who chairs the panel made up of town and village leaders from throughout the county, must forward a plan to the County Legislature for review by August 1st, then submit a Final Plan, including certified savings, to the State by September 15th.

The Lansing Board of Education continued to consider offering a veteran's tax exemption that could be applied to the 2018 tax bill.  An exit survey after this year's school budget vote, plus an (unscientific) online survey indicated support for offering a discount to veterans, even though it would mean more taxes for non-veterans.

"The answers to that question in the exit survey were pretty overwhelmingly in favor of the veterans' exemption," School Business Administrator Mary June King told the Lansing Board Of Education.  "We said we would talk about it some more with you and perhaps if we added it to our exemption list we would be doing a review of our exemptions."

In a working session last month the Lansing town Board decided to repeal a 1966 ordinance to Regulate and License the Hawking and Peddling of Goods, Wares and Merchandise and Soliciting Orders.  But that doesn't mean solicitors will have free reign in Lansing.  Solicitors in the Town will have to adhere to a Tompkins County law that regulates solicitors and enforces the law via the Tompkins County Sheriff's office.

"My understanding was the best way to go with that is to do as (Lansing Town Clerk Debbie Munson) suggested, and steer people towards the Sheriff's Department.  This was such an antiquated law. It was designed so that if you got off at the train station you don't get harassed by all the people selling brushes.  That's how long ago it was.  What does that mean  nowadays when people go door to door to campaign?  That's one thing.  But if somebody wants to do something else that falls into what our Town Clerk has concerns about."