- By Marcia E. Lynch
- News
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Chair Lane Sets the Stage for the Year Ahead – Announces 2014 Organizational StructureLegislature Chair Mike Lane announced the Legislature’s 2014 organizational structure and committee assignments, noting that in 2014 the Legislature will face challenges, but he expressed confidence that legislators, working as a team, will do their very best to do the people’s business.
Much of the Legislature committee structure remains the same, with seven standing committees (Budget, Capital, and Personnel; Economic Development; Facilities and Infrastructure; Government Operations; Health and Human Services; Planning, Energy, and Environmental Quality; and Public Safety), but several of the leadership positions have changed. Legislature Vice Chair Jim Dennis will continue as chair of the Budget Committee; Will Burbank as chair of Economic Development; Carol Chock as chair of Planning; and Brian Robison as chair of Public Safety. Nathan Shinagawa will assume chairmanship of Government Operations; and Kathy Luz Herrera will succeed Peter Stein as chair of Facilities and Infrastructure, with Mr. Stein assuming the chairmanship of Health and Human Services. Leslyn McBean-Clairborne will continue as chair of the Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Committee (which reports to Budget, Capital, and Personnel) and the Broadband Committee will change from a special committee to a subcommittee reporting to Government Operations; Dave McKenna will chair that subcommittee.
County Administrator Joe Mareane provided the Legislature an overview the targeted tax relief measures— including a two-year 'freeze' on local property taxes— that have been recommended by a New York State Tax Relief Commission and endorsed by Governor Cuomo as a high priority in the State of the State Address and today’s Budget Message.
The Cayuga Power Plant will remain open -- at least for the next three and a half years. Upstate New York Power Producers CEO Jerry Goodenough notified local officials Wednesday that the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) has extended the current Reliability Support Services Agreement (RSSA) until June 30, 2017.
The state Department of Transportation (DOT) is not adequately monitoring whether commercial carriers whose vehicles or drivers have been taken off the road because of violations are making needed repairs or corrections, potentially putting the public at risk, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. 
Tompkins County Legislator Martha Robertson raised more than $265,000 in the fourth quarter of 2013, nearly matching a second quarter total that put her in the top 10 in the nation among Democratic challengers as she builds strength in her race against vulnerable Tea Party incumbent Tom Reed in New York’s 23rd District.
New York’s school districts have faced major fluctuations in their federal and state aid over the last decade and revenue growth was nearly flat the last three years, averaging only 1.3 percent, according to a report issued today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report is part of DiNapoli’s fiscal stress initiative which is focusing greater attention on the issues that contribute to the financial pressures on local governments and school districts across the state. 
The federal omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2014, filed last night by House and Senate appropriations committees, includes $140 million in full, dedicated, and statutorily-protected funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contract tower program. That, says County Airport Manager Bob Nicholas, is great news for Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport and the nation’s more than 250 other airports with FAA contract towers. 
Rep. Tom Reed announced Wednesday that the House-passed consolidated appropriations act includes a provision that gives veterans who retired for medical reasons their full pension without reduction. Reed advocated for the fix in reaction to a provision in the Ryan-Murray budget agreement that impacted the annual cost-of-living adjustment for military retirees. Reed also co-sponsored legislation preventing that reduction in benefits.
Lansing is wealthy. Except it's not. That was the message Lansing Schools Business Administrator Mary June King had for the Board Of Education Monday. King said that while Lansing has a high Pupil Wealth Ratio (PRW) among Tompkins County school districts, the PRW is not high state-wide.
The Lansing Town Board tabled a vote Wednesday on a new sign law after nine residents spoke out at a public hearing Wednesday with objections to the proposed law. The board has been working on a law for about a year after it was discovered the Town sign ordinance had been inadvertantly rescinded eight years ago. While some residents objected to the law in general, or wanted strict restrictions, particularly on lighted signs, the main objections were to large signs the law would allow in residential neighborhoods.
County Legislator Mike Sigler told the Lansing Town Board Wednesday he is already working on a number of issues that impact the Town in the first weeks of his new term representing the Town. Sigler said he has scheduled a public meeting on the proposed state forest on the Bell Station property, has remained in contact with power plant officials as they develop a new repowering plan, and is gathering information on the county-wide broadband project.
What is Lansing's vision for itself? Development is driven by demand, but also by the level of planning and enforcement municipal governments are willing to impose. Last year a sewer project was the center of a heated debate over plannnig and the vision Lansingites see for their community. Will Lansing become a suburb of Ithaca?