Archive: News

The 2% tax cap on tax levies isn't two percent.  For example, when Lansing voted on this year's school budget in May, that cap was calculated at 4.81%.  This year Albany added a twist.  If your school district stayed within the tax cap you would be eligible for a refund this month in the amount of the difference between what you paid last year and what you pay this year.  Seems simple enough...  if you pay $100 more this year than last, you'll get a check for $100.  Or will you?

"Well, yes, at its basic level," says Tompkins County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin.  "But the devil is in the details.  It is the difference between your tax bills, but, as with anything the state does, there are a few caveats."

The special committee of the County Legislature that is reviewing preliminary concept proposals to redevelop the site of the Old Tompkins County Library today began to consider elements that should be included in a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) that will be critical to the next stage of the process.

Late last year, the County issued a Request for Expressions of Interest in developing the site and received six preliminary proposals, four of which are currently active.  The committee is charged with recommending to the full Legislature which of the four should be invited to proceed to next phase—response to the formal RFP.

Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee heard from seven more County departments Tuesday, as they held a fifth night of review of County Administrator Joe Mareane’s recommended County budget for 2015.

Presenting Tuesday were the Mental Health and Youth Services departments, the Assigned Counsel Office, Office of Human Rights, the Legislature Office, Solid Waste Management Division, and Workforce Investment Board and Workforce One Stop Career Center.

In response to the announcement today by Governor Cuomo of $94 million awarded for 142 large-scale solar energy projects across the state, Tompkins County and the City of Ithaca announce a renewable energy partnership that will generate solar power to meet a substantial portion of City government electricity needs, through a 2.4 million-watt solar array to be constructed on County-owned land at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport.

The County will lease land for construction of the array.  The City of Ithaca will purchase the power, and benefit from a remote net metering arrangement.  That means the electricity generated by the solar array will be directed into the electric grid, and the City will get credit for each kilowatt of electricity in the form of a reduced electric bill.

A few weeks ago Lansing officials were among those who toured the Lansing Residential Center, the now closed juvenile detention center for girls.  The property offers many opportunities for the Town, but would taking over the facility be a money pit?  Would it be worth the trouble to administer?  Real Estate Appraiser Michael Coles gave the Lansing Town Board a lot to think about Monday, outlining the pros and cons of acquiring the property.

"We can figure out what it's worth, but ideally you'd like to get it from the State for a dollar because they want to get rid of it. And you're a legal entity that could acquire it in that chain of people that are interested in it.  At the same time you want to go into it with your eyes wide open as to how close you can get to breaking even, or, ideally, breaking even."

Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller and Town board members Ed LaVigne and Ruth Hopkins were joined by members of the East Shore Arts Council, priests from a local church, and a representative of a school.  They were among the interested parties at a recent tour of the Lansing Girls Residential Center, along with Tompkins County Legislator Mike Sigler, Miller, Park Superintendent and Recreation Director Steve Colt and Lansing Historian Louise Bement.  Miller says it’s all or nothing — the property will not be split among multiple buyers.

"It was very interesting," said Miller at last week's Town Board meeting.  "What an incredibly beautiful piece of property that is!  It's breathtaking.  The State won't break it up. They won't break it up into the school and the pods and the gymnasium.  The  whole piece is being sold as one."

The SPCA of Tompkins County is caring for a two- year- old German shepherd mix who was shot in the head last week, left in her yard overnight, and seized by the Tompkins County Sherriff's department and the SPCA after a report by a neighbor early Thursday morning.

"This is a terrible crime," says SPCA executive director Jim Bouderau. "It breaks our hearts, but now our entire focus is on Lillie's care. She is currently in stable condition and responding well.  We anticipate that she will need several more surgeries including the repair of a wound to her soft palate as well as the removal of one (potentially two) of her eyes due to the trauma caused by the gunshot wound. While these additional surgeries present their own inherent risk in her weakened condition, we are optimistic that she will recover.  We do not know the long term effects of her injuries at this point, and are continuing to work with our own team of veterinarians from the Maddies Fund Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell as well as specialists from the Cornell University Companion Animal Hospital to work through the process of her treatment and ongoing care. Tompkins County police have charged Jeffrey M. Wood of Meadowbrook Lane in Newfield with felony charges of aggravated cruelty to animals after he allegedly shot Lillie in the head twice with a .22 caliber long gun and report that further charges are possible."

A Former State Contractor Who Pleaded Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges Earlier This Year, As A Result Of A Joint Investigation By New York State Comptroller Thomas P. Dinapoli And U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Preet Bharara, Was Sentenced Today To A Year And One Day In Prison And Ordered To Pay A Total Of $721,112 In Restitution And Criminal Forfeiture.

"Joseph Junkovic Took Taxpayer Dollars Meant To Screen Individuals For Cancer And Used The Money To Fund His Lavish Lifestyle Of World Traveling And Gambling," Dinapoli Said. "This Conviction Sends A Strong Message To Others Who Might Defraud The State. I Commend U.S. Attorney Bharara And His Staff For Their Work To Bring Mr. Junkovic To Justice, And I Will Continue To Work With United States Attorneys And Prosecutors Statewide To Combat Corruption In The Misuse Of Public Funds."

Tom ReedMartha RobertsonVoters will get to see Congressman Tom Reed and challenger Martha Robertson debate before the November 23rd Congressional District election.  Reed's campaign announced Tuesday it had agreed to three debates, including one televised debate.  While Robertson's campaign has reportedly asked for more debates, the Reed campaign says three debates will allow voters to compare the candidates' contrasting visions.

In their second night of deliberations September 18th, Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee heard from six more County departments, as they continue to review County Administrator Joe Mareane’s recommended 2015 County budget.

The Recommended Budget, with total expenditures of $180 million and local dollar spending of $83.3 million, would increase the tax levy by 2.34% (below the County’s projected property tax cap) and would increase the tax bill by $6.34 for the owner of a median-value $165,000 home—an amount of increase that would be returned by the State under the new State property tax freeze law.

Legislature Accepts Jail Alternatives Report
The Legislature accepted the report of the Jail Alternatives Task Force, as presented last month.  The report, the result of nearly half-a-year of in-depth review, recommends additional measures that could be employed to safely and prudently reduce the population of the Tompkins County Jail.  Despite numerous positive comments about the report itself and appreciation for the work and dedication of Task Force members over many months, debate centered on the phrase indicating endorsement of the report, and after considerable discussion, the resolution passed—with the endorsement phrase included—but by a split 9-5 vote.

As part of the report, the Task Force recommends near-term actions, including restoring one staff position to Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources (OAR) to return it to three full-time Client Service Workers, which would allow OAR to provide low-bail assistance to additional inmates, and to provide additional re-entry and case management assistance.  Several legislators—among them, budget committee chair Jim Dennis—objected that calls upon the County Administrator to include an item in the budget, indicates support outside the proper procedure for the budget and may improperly influence the budget. Legislator Martha Robertson said she felt strongly that the word “endorse” implies a pre-judgment about a budget line for a full-time staff person, and she does not want to be committed to that decision at present.

Tom Reed’s Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, or “RAMI,” passed the House today with a strong showing of support from Members on both sides of the aisle. Reed has been a tireless advocate for U.S. manufacturing through his bill to create manufacturing innovation hubs across the country and has spent the last year meeting with district manufacturers for input and educating Members of Congress on the need to stay on the cutting edge of manufacturing in America.

“We’re thrilled to have such overwhelming bipartisan support for our bill to create high-tech, high-paying manufacturing jobs for Americans,” Tom Reed said. “These are the kinds of jobs that will give generations to come the opportunity to create and innovate right here at home – not across the ocean. I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together with my colleagues Rep. Joe Kennedy and Senators Roy Blunt and Sherrod Brown. Our shared vision sets the stage for an American manufacturing renaissance and will position the United States in the best way possible to be the world leader in advanced manufacturing. In this economy, Americans need something to come together on, something to unite around to fight for jobs. RAMI is that uniting initiative.”