Archive: News

	Lansing officials say the moratorium on new natural gas customers in the Town is delaying key development projects, or causing developers are abandoning plans to build in Lansing.  But what if enough gas capacity could be relinquished by existing users to service new industrial projects that absolutely require it, and alternative heating were feasible today for new residential and commercial projects?

It's no use planning for new development if you don't have the infrastructure  -- sewer, water and energy -- or a viable plan to finance and build it.  The Tompkins County Planning Department recently released a study of four key areas with high potential for development to determine whether they actually do have that infrastructure in place.  The results are very good news for three of the four areas studied: Downtown Ithaca, East Hill, and South Hill all have the resources they need, green on the chart presented in the study.  The only red area on the chart shows a deficiency in the availability of natural gas in the airport area in the Village of Lansing.

"We found out that the only area where projected development could not be accommodated as far as we could tell from the utilities perspective was the gas in the Warren Road area," says Tompkins County Commissioner of Planning and Sustainability Ed Marx.  "Then we asked out consultants to look at the options for accommodating development there.  There were a couple of conclusions.  One, residential development is occurring without gas.  It can occur, and we tend to think it's not just there -- it's elsewhere.  Major developments are occurring all over the community without gas.  So gas is not the constraint for residential development."

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Cayuga Operating Company has announced plans to construct one of the largest solar power farms in New York State on it's 434-acre Lansing site.  Cayuga Solar, estimated at a more than $25 million construction cost, will generate 18 megawatts of power, create up to 150 union construction jobs, and increase tax revenue to taxing authorities within Lansing and Tompkins County.  Company officials say the site is ideal because needed zoning and connections already exist for the coal-powered plant.

"The coal plant is a very, very good location for solar, not just because of the inter-connect and that we control the site, but it's industrially zoned and there's not much else of a re-use we're going to find for land like this," says Cayuga Operating Company Managing Director Michael Enright.  "This is a recognition and embracing that renewable energy is wanted and needed in New York.  We think we're ideally positioned and suited to provide it."

Senator Pam Helming (R, C, I-54th District) is announced her co-sponsored legislation to better protect police work animals passed the State Senate last week. The bill (S.00961), known as Mitchell's Law, would make it a class D felony to kill a police work animal and a class E felony for intentionally injuring a police work animal in the line of duty.

"K-9s and police horses are highly trained to carry out a number of dangerous tasks for law enforcement officials and increase public safety," said Helming. "By increasing the penalties for attacking these important animals, we can better protect them, law enforcement officials and the public they serve."

Approximately 22 Gimme! Coffee baristas will have the opportunity to vote in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election on the question of whether or not to organize a union to negotiate a contract in their workplaces on Thursday, May 31st in Ithaca. The election will be for non-managerial baristas at the W. State/MLK Street location (where the election for all 4 stores will be held); the N. Cayuga Street location; the Gates Hall location at Cornell U.; and the Trumansburg location.

Samantha Mason, a barista at the Cayuga Street Gimme! Coffee location and a member of the Workers United Organizing Committee says: "Democracy doesn't just happen every four years. At Gimme! Coffee, my co-workers and I hope to set an example by practicing democracy daily in embracing our collective power to organize at the workplace."

Senator Pam Helming (R,C,I-Canandaigua) announced her co-sponsored bill (S.5427A) to make New York State's roads and highways safer by banning and removing "X-Lite" Guardrail Systems has been approved by the State Senate. The bill would permanently remove "X-Lite" guardrail products from the list of eligible types of materials used for guardrails, ban "X-Lite" and similarly designed products from being installed in the future, and require that any existing "X-Lite" guardrail products be replaced along all state roadways.

"There have been many cases throughout the country where the X-Lite Guardrail System has failed to protect motorists and in several instances caused serious injury and death," said Helming. "This legislation will ensure that these hazardous guardrails are removed from our state roads."

Washington D.C. - Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA), along with U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Credit For Caring Act, which would provide working family caregivers with a nonrefundable tax credit up to $3,000 to assist with out-of-pocket expenses related to caregiving.

This bipartisan legislation seeks to aid those balancing full or part-time employment, while also taking on added financial responsibilities as a family caregiver supporting a loved one. This tax credit for caregivers can be used toward expenses such as transportation, home modifications to accommodate a family member, medication management services, and training or education for the caregiver.

In a rare tie vote the Lansing Board Of Education Monday decided not to accept a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that may have saved the district about a half million dollars over the course of 25 years.  If it had been approved RER Energy Group, of Reading, PA, would have constructed a 1.5 MW solar array in North Lansing.  The contract would have provided much of the school campus's energy needs, producing approximately 1.5 million kWh per year.  But rising costs and changes to the contract made board members question whether they wanted to tie future boards into such a long term contract.

"My gut feeling is that the school is not really benefiting that much overall," said board member Aziza Benson.  "Other entities are getting more benefit than the school district."

Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso reported Monday that a preliminary analysis of an exit poll at last week's budget vote showed taxpayers would pay more so veterans could pay less.  270 voters took the time to complete the poll.  63% of those said they would support a veteran's exemption.  Pettograsso noted that only 11% of eligible voters actually voted.  She also pointed out that about half the district voters who opposed next school year's budget favored a veteran's exemption.

"We spent a lot of time throughout the day explaining what that was and talking to people," she said.  "196 people said yes to supporting the budget -- 124 of them said yes to supporting the veterans' exemption.  Of the 72 people that said no, 45 said yes to the veteran's exemption."

Corning, NY – Congressman Tom Reed announced the approval of an $80,000 grant to the Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board (STCRPDB). The grant, funded through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), will be used to fund the Planning in Water's Way project. This project will increase the resiliency of the flood-prone areas along the I-86 Innovation Corridor and identify locations more suitable for future economic development.

"We care about creating jobs for those in the Southern Tier. This is an important project to fuel regional economic development. It is only right that we take the steps to prevent the area from potential floods," Reed stated.

The New York Times reported last week that four Republican State Senators, including two Senators who represent portions of Tompkins County, were incorrectly identified as Senate committee chairs last March in documents to the Senate payroll staff that requested pretax payments of $15,000 for Tom O’Mara and $18,000 for Patrick M. Gallivan. According to the Comptroller's office stipends were paid in March and April. Senator Pamela Helming and Patty Ritchie were also identified as committee chairs.

"I have not, and will not, accept any payment for my work as Vice Chair of the Crime Victims, Crime and Correction committee," Helming said in a statement Monday. "My office is in the process of returning these uncashed checks to the taxpayers of our state."

Legislature Adopts 2018 Financial Goal, Fiscal Guidelines for Departments and Agencies
In two resolutions approved tonight, the Tompkins County Legislature approved a 2018 tax levy guideline and spending targets for 2018. The tax levy resolution directed County Administrator Joe Mareane to prepare a recommended operating and capital budget that can be supported with a tax levy increase of 2.4%, an increase in line with the County's estimated tax cap for 2018. The vote on the tax levy guideline was 10-2, with Legislators Carol Chock and Dooley Kiefer voting no. Spending targets for departments and County agencies to use in preparing their budgets were approved by a 9-3 vote (Legislators Chock, Kiefer, and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne dissenting. Legislators Will Burbank and Peter Stein were excused for both votes.)

County Administrator Joe Mareane expects that the 2.4% increase in the County's property tax levy, which includes a 0.5% increase dedicated to capital improvements identified in the County's Capital program, will support a maintenance-of-effort budget for County departments, as well as addressing other critical needs and priorities. Departments and agencies will continue to have the ability to request funding in excess of their 2018 spending targets, allowing the Legislature to consider exceeding the Administrator's Recommended Budget.

The Legislature's special Jail Study Committee, examining capacity issues at the Tompkins County Jail, today continued to hear about services offered in the jail—much of today's focus on behavioral health issues.

Tompkins County Deputy Commissioner of Mental Health Sharon MacDougall talked about the societal factors affecting the need for behavioral health services (encompassing mental health and substance use services), why such treatment is important, and how behavioral health services in the jail can be enhanced.