Archive: News

The Public Safety Committee of the Tompkins County Legislature, by unanimous vote, recommended allocating $100,000 from the Contingent Fund to the Department of Probation and Community Justice to implement a reentry plan for inmates of the Tompkins County Jail.  The reentry plan, advanced by the County's Criminal Justice/Alternatives to Incarceration Board (CJATI) after more than a year of intensive study, was presented to the committee last month.

Following up a larger review in 2014 of the County's broad range of alternatives-to-incarceration services, CJATI's Reentry Subcommittee last fall had recommended that a more robust and coordinated reentry program be developed, to help released inmates access the county's many services and ease their transition back into the community, contributing to reduced rates of recidivism.  As part of the 2016 budget, the Legislature set aside $100,000 in ongoing "target" contingent funding to be available for specific program accounts upon receipt of a defined reentry plan from CJATI.

The Legislature's Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality Committee received a briefing on the Draft Report of the Tompkins County Energy and Economic Development Task Force, from Task Force chair Charlie Trautmann and Martha Armstrong, Vice President of Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD).  The briefing came shortly before a public input session on the report. The Task Force is inviting public input on the draft, with comments due by May 27.

The Energy and Economic Development Task Force is comprised of local business leaders, government officials, and environmental advocates brought together by Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD) at the request of County Legislature Chair Mike Lane.  The group has studied ways to advance the County's greenhouse gas emission goals over the next five years while supporting the growth of jobs and the economy.  Having met 16 times since June of last year, Mr. Trautmann told the committee the group has "worked very, very hard" in what has been "a very grassroots community-based effort."

Senator Michael F. Nozzolio announced the State Senate has enacted a package of 22 bills, which take a comprehensive approach to fighting the ongoing heroin and opioid addiction crisis in New York. The measures are among the recommendations from a report released by the Senate's Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction of which Nozzolio is a current member and former Vice Co-Chair. The recommendations reflect the need for improving prevention efforts, increasing access to treatment, expanding recovery options and, providing greater resources to law enforcement to aid in combating this crisis.

The Task Force created a four-pronged approach – focusing on prevention, treatment, recovery, and enforcement – that was used in developing the legislative and budgetary recommendations after extensive collaboration with stakeholders at forums in communities across the state.

Canandaigua Town Supervisor Pam Helming was endorsed Wednesday by Republican Committees in  the 54th Senate District as their candidate to fill NYS Senator Mike Nozzolio's seat when he retires at the end of this term.  Helming won the endorsement after five rounds of voting by over 300 Republican committee members from the six counties within the district.  Tompkins County Legislator Mike Sigler (Lansing), who worked hard to obtain the endorsement, says he is now deciding whether to challenge Helming in a primary election.

"I'm now deciding whether or not to (run in a) primary or not," Sigler said.  "It was an interesting experience.  I didn't expect to make it off the first ballot, seeing as Lansing is 3% of the district, and I didn't.  I congratulate Pam on her win last night.  I believe the process did make the dozen or so candidates stronger."

The Lansing Town Board approved a Fund Balance Policy and the Reserve Policy that will help town officials plan future major purchases and projects, while insuring there is money to spare for emergencies.  The Town currently has about $3 million of spare cash.  That will now be allocated among several reserve funds, while some is kept available to handle emergencies.  Lansing Supervisor Ed says the policy is quite conservative when compared to state guidelines, but will be reviewed and adjusted as needed annually.

"Those policies are critical as far as guidance for the future," LaVigne says.  "We have the Fund Balance Policy and the Reserve Policy so that when we close the books next year we'll evaluate to see if there is any money left over, and, if so, where it should go.  If we don't have money left over we can make adjustments to cut back or see where we need to find money."

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today called for changes to the state's fiscal practices, including limiting discretionary lump sum spending, restricting "backdoor spending" by public authorities and imposing a constitutional limit on state debt, among other reforms, to bring increased transparency and accountability to state finances.

DiNapoli released his recommendations in a report, "Unfinished Business: Fiscal Reform in New York." The report demonstrates that despite well-intentioned efforts to rein in the state's debt, increase disclosure by public authorities and improve budget practices, further reforms are needed.

Tom Reed continued his efforts to stop the opioid epidemic in our region by supporting legislation which would help state and local law enforcement combat the problem and also increase prevention programs among school-aged children.

"We care about the people that are struggling with addiction, their loved ones and those who have lost friends or family due to the horrors of heroin and opioid abuse," said Reed. "It's only right that we come together to support a bipartisan solution, as this problem continues to grow."

The Tompkins County Board of Elections has certified the results for the April 19th Presidential Primary.

The turnout for this primary election set a record for Tompkins County and it was far better than any other county in the state. A total of 21,301 people voted in the Presidential Primary which was 57% of the total number of eligible voters. None of the other 61 counties in the New York State exceeded 50% turnout. The turnout in the Democratic Party primary was 63% which is a record for Tompkins County. None of the other 61 counties in the state exceeded 50% turnout in the Democratic Primary.

On May 17th voters will decide on whether to approve the Lansing Central School District's proposed 2016-17 $28 million budget, approve up to $300,000 for school busses, approve the creation of a new capital reserve, and will elect three school board members.  Three candidates are running this year, including incumbent Dr. Christine Iacobucci and two new candidates, Dr. Susan Tabrizi and Tompkins County Deputy Sheriff Aaron Thompson.

The three appeared at a 'Meet The Candidates' night Monday to talk about their vision of the district.  About 20 community members attended.  The session was moderated by Lansing High School Student Council Vice President Taylor Mikula and President Michelle Schaffer.  A transcript of the session follows:

Lansing School District voters will be asked to approve three propositions May 17th, and to vote for three school board positions.  About 20 people came to a budget hearing Monday to learn the details from Superintendent Chris Pettograsso and Business Administrator Mary June King.

Before you vote, here are some of the key points they made in a nutshell.

Proposition 1: "That the Board of Education of Lansing Central School District be, and hereby is, authorized to expend the sums set forth of $28,047,000 and to levy the necessary tax therefore."  The budget is actually lower than last year's budget by 1.14%.  But the levy (the part we pay in property taxes) is higher, and nobody really knows how the property assessments, which were raised this year) will affect the actual amount you will pay (we'll know that later this summer when the tax bills are mailed).

Should you approve it?

Lansing's representative to the Tompkins County Legislature has formed an exploratory committee to decide whether he will run for the New York State Senate.  Mike Sigler (R) says he will be a strong candidate to challenge Town of Rose Supervisor Kenan Baldridge (D) for the seat held by Senator Mike Nozzolio for 14 years.  In a field of at least a dozen potential Republican candidates, Sigler is working hard to earn the endorsements of all six county Republican Committees within the district. 

"I think I have the most experience of anybody in the race," he says.  "I'm certainly in the highest level of government.  (Being a county legislator) is the closest to what a state senator would do.  It's a different skill set from town supervisor.  Tompkins has a big budget, a lot of moving parts.  It's a challenging environment for a Republican. All those things strengthen me in that regard."

Legislature Adopts 2017 Financial Goal, Fiscal Guidelines for Departments and Agencies
In two resolutions approved Tuesday night, the Tompkins County Legislature approved a 2017 tax levy goal and spending targets for 2017.  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 3%.  That vote was 9-4, with Legislators Mike Sigler, Glenn Morey, Dave McKenna, and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne voting no.  (Legislator Peter Stein was excused.)  Based on the tax levy goal, spending targets for departments and County agencies to use in preparing their budgets were approved by a 10-3 vote (Legislators Sigler, Morey, and McKenna dissenting).

The greatest effect on the 2017 fiscal targets is the ongoing decline in sales tax revenue—down for four of the last five quarters, including the first quarter of this year. It’s projected that 2017 sales tax revenue will drop by $860,000 from the 2016 budgeted level, an amount equivalent to about 1.8% in the property tax levy.  The levy increase would address several critical County needs, including negotiated wage growth for county employees and a modest cost of living increase for County-supported agencies.