Archive: News

Rep. Tom Reed moved Tuesday to pass the Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2013, a bill that funds the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), programs run by the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and supports law enforcement efforts to help victims of sex trafficking. Reed co-sponsored the legislation.

“As a father, the thought of my children in danger is horrifying, and something every parent always has in the back of their minds,” Reed said. “This legislation ensures the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is able to continue providing care to children and their families, and strengthens the original legislation to provide for additional resources to combat the sexual exploitation of children. Our work continues in bringing more children back home to their families, and today’s bill passage is a step toward that goal.”

Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WF-125) announced Wednesday that, in part through her continued advocacy and support, Phase II of the Route 281-Route 13 transportation project will be accelerated. The project had been delayed since 2010 and wasn’t expected to go forward until at least 2017, but it’s now slated to begin by next year. The $8.88 million job will widen Route 281 from Luker Road to Fisher Avenue.

“This accelerated time frame is very good news for our area. The project will create good-paying jobs at a time when middle-class jobs are still lacking in the state,“ Lifton said.
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The Lansing Sewer Committee met for the last time Wednesday to summarize the now defunct $10.8 million town-wide municipal sewer project.  Councilwoman Katrina Binkewicz moderated the meeting to get input from each committee member.  Committee members shared ideas about what might have resulted in a different outcome, a schism between North and South Lansing, and ambiguous Town Board leadership, and looked a bit into the future to predict how sewer will eventually come to the town.

"I don't think it's too late," said Noel Desch.  Desch was Town of Ithaca Supervisor at the time when that town instituted town-wide municipal sewer.  He argued for 12-A sewer (a sewer district paid for by those property owners within the service area) even when the rest of the committee members argued that a 12-A sewer would be too expensive with annual costs per EDU (Equivalent Dwelling Unit) in the range of $800.  "I think the mistake we made was not getting out to the people who need sewer and saying 'here's what it's going to cost.  How do you feel about it?'"

Village of Lansing Trustees unanimously approved limited bow hunts Monday, clearing the way for this year's Village-sponsored deer population management program that will begin with the regular deer hunting season October 1.  Dr. Bernd Blossey of Cornell's Department of Natural Resources coordinates the program for the Village with assistance from Dr. Jay Boulanger, who manages the Cornell 'Earn A Buck' program.  Blossey and Boulanger told the board this year's program will be almost identical to last year's.

67 deer were taken last year in the Village-run program.   Nine additional deer were taken on a property in the Village that was not part of the program.  The Village's program also benefitted from a 'Deer Management Focus Area' season in January during which 18 of the 67 deer were taken.  Mayor Donald Hartill says that the program apears to be somewhat effective because the number of deer/auto collisions was down in the Village last year.  But deer continue to do damage to forested areas in the Village, as well as gardens and trees, and Boulanger estimates over 100 deer congregate on Sundowns Farm, where owners have declined to allow population control program hunters.

Martha Roberston (D) Tom Reed (R)Republicans and Democrats are turning up the heat in the race for the 23rd Congressional District.  Tompkins County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson (D) is challenging Tom Reed (R), who is hoping to win a third term in Washington in November.  Robertson opponents question her morality in allowing a campaign fund-raiser hosted by a convicted child molester.  At the same time Reed opponents are focusing on allegations that he paid property taxes with campaign funds, and say Reed admitted to paying his personal property taxes late 38 times since 2005.

“Today we filed two complaints with federal officials requesting that they investigate Congressman Tom Reed’s illegal use of campaign funds to pay his personal property taxes.  Congressman Reed’s completely inappropriate use of campaign funds needs to be investigated and we hope the House Ethics Committee and the Federal Elections Commission will get to the bottom of this extremely concerning situation," said Ontario County Democratic Committee Chairman John F. Hurley Monday.

Relaying the severe concerns within Tompkins County government and among its citizens about New York State’s proposed mental health services reorganization plan, Legislature Chair Martha Robertson has submitted comment to an Assembly committee that urges the State to preserve inpatient mental health services in the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes region.

In comments filed with the Assembly Standing Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Chair Robertson forwards a resolution passed this week by the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, and to be considered by the full Legislature on Tuesday, September 17, that calls upon New York State to refrain from closing the Elmira Psychiatric Center and Greater Binghamton Health Center next summer.

Tompkins County Administrator Joe Mareane has delivered to the County Legislature a 2014 Recommended County Budget that maintains (but does not expand) County services, addresses funding challenges at several partner agencies, maintains the County’s fiscal health, and can be supported by a tax levy increase of 3.54%--less than the 4% levy goal set by the Legislature.  County taxes would rise by $21 for the owner of an average home.

“The recommended budget ensures continuity of essential County services at a time when the economy is improving, but dependence on County services remains high” Administrator Mareane states in his budget message to the Legislature.  “It strengthens the County’s fiscal health by reducing our reliance on one-time revenues, keeping our reserves safely above the County’s 10% fund balance goal.

Tompkins County Legislator Carol Chock (District 3 , Ithaca) was one of the most vocal opponents to a plan to repower the coal-fired Cayuga Power Plant with natural gas when the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC) held a public hearing July 28th on whether to repower the plant or to close it.  In August she and Town of Caroline councilmember Irene Weiser formed Ratepayers and Community Intervenors to 'demand unredacted information for review and analysis'.  The group has partnered with Earthjustice, an activist group that provides legal representation at no cost to environmental groups and causes.  Chock and Weiser sent an email Monday to a wider list of elected officials from 24 counties to urge them to join.

The organization is currently made up of more than 30 members, mainly Tompkins County elected officials, organizations and individuals, with some members from Cortland, Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, Chemung, Erie and Steuben Counties.  The email targeted officials from Load Zones A (impacted by the Dunkirk Power Plant) and C (impacted by the Cayuga Power Plant), most impacted by the Cayuga plant in Lansing and the Dunkirk plant south of Buffalo.

School Business Administrator Mary June King apologized to the Lansing Board of Education Monday for errors on this year's tax bills.  The bills were prepared and mailed by the TST BOCES Central Business Office (CBO). Three errors were identified Monday in a letter to King from CBO officials.

"I apologize that I didn't think to say send those bills to me so I could go through them before they were mailed out," King told school board members Monday evening.  "I'll be more careful with that in the future.  I have received apologies from the Central Business Office tax operation and I'm confident that they won't make the same mistake again."

Tompkins County Legislature member, Frank Proto today confirmed his intention to seek re-election this November to a ninth term on that body. Proto of Slaterville Springs currently is the longest serving legislative member, elected from the towns of Caroline, Danby and a portion of the town of Ithaca.

As the state and federal priorities change, the pressures locally will require objectivity and review. Providing services in tighter financial times requires both a pragmatic and humanized approach. His tenure has seasoned him to be adaptable to these changes so local services can remain strong.

Rep. Tom Reed Thursday voted in the House of Representatives to pass the No Subsidies Without Verification Act, a bill requiring a secure verification system be in place before Obamacare subsidies are handed out. Currently, the Administration does not have a viable system in place to ensure the information individuals enter when applying for Obamacare subsidies is accurate.

“This is a hugely concerning problem because the Administration has no way of knowing if subsidies are going to the right people,” Rep. Reed said. “We need accurate verification systems that secure taxpayer information, protect taxpayer dollars, and prevent the Administration from adding to the national debt by issuing unwarranted subsidies. It’s common sense to verify information before the Administration hands out subsidy money.”

The Lansing Town Board considered opting out of a state law that would give tax exemptions to solar installations Monday.  Opting out will increase tax revenue from large commercial power-producing solar installations for the municipality.  But Tompkins County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin says it won't hurt homeowners and small businesses in the town who put solar panels on their roofs.

"You would opt out in order to grab the value of these power producing entities," Franklin says.  "It adds value to big projects. It's not hurting the private person or small business that puts solar panels on their roof because it doesn't increase their assessment."