Archive: News

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli last week issued a report on the New York State Power Authority (NYPA). The report examines NYPA’s finances, money transferred to support the state budget and expenses related to employee benefits and travel, including a private jet.

“The state regularly relies on NYPA for budget relief, which could pose future challenges for NYPA’s ability to deliver low-cost power,” DiNapoli said. “New Yorkers pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country and need the rate relief that NYPA could provide if it appropriately focused its resources. This report also reviews executive and travel expenses incurred by NYPA.”

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara announced Wednesday charges against Joseph L. Junkovic for allegedly engaging in a scheme to defraud the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) out of more than $700,000 dedicated to providing cancer screening services to low-income New Yorkers.

Junkovic allegedly used a not-for-profit corporation that he controlled, Cancer Service Network, Inc. (CSN), to obtain more than $25 million in federal and state funding to administer cancer screening services, and then billed the NYSDOH for thousands of hours that he did not in fact work.  He was arrested at his Bronx home this morning and will be presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis this afternoon.

Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso asked the Board Of Education Monday to publicly share their opinions about the possible closing of Cayuga Power Plant, the district's largest taxpayer.  The NYS Public Service Commission held a public hearing at Lansing Middle School Auditorium July 29th, and has been soliciting public input through today (August 16th).  Pettograsso said cuts to programs and employees will be necessary if revenue from the power plant disappears on top of decreasing state aid.

"Over the years we've been generating lists of possible areas we would have to make reductions in that aren't mandated," she said.  "We have that list, so we know where we'll be looking. We already know that without that loss we have tax rate concerns already."

Beginning August 19th, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will mail a registration letter to all property owners who received the Basic STAR exemption on the 2013 Assessment Roll.  The letter will include a webpage address where eligible property owners can enter information to determine their eligibility for the exemption.  Information requested includes the social security numbers for all resident owners (and their spouses) and the STAR code found on the re-registration letter.

For those without the ability to access the online application, the Department of Taxation and Finance has set up a call center where a property owner can re-register by answering a few questions.

Tompkins County and the Town of Enfield, as of Wednesday afternoon, have declared local emergencies related to response and recovery from last week’s weather.

Tompkins County Director of Emergency Response Lee Shurtleff reports that both entities have suffered significant public damages in excess of $400,000 as a result of the storm that occurred last Thursday and Friday, August 8 and 9.

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office released an audit last month that claims the Lansing Fire District set unreasonable budget amounts between 2008 and 2012 that averaged $777,000 lower expenditures than appropriations from property taxes.  But fire commissioners say that while the Comptroller's numbers are accurate, their interpretation of why the money was collected and its purpose is not.

"The number is correct, but it had to do with delays in construction," says district treasurer George Gesslein.  "We had $3 million in the bank but most of that was in reserves for these two building projects.  They just got delayed for two or three years.  By the end of this year all that money is gone, because all the construction will be paid for and the new truck will be paid for.  All the money's gone."

Approves Innovative Partnership to Procure Renewable Energy
The Tompkins County Legislature approved a new approach that will enable Tompkins, and other public entities throughout New York State, to buy electricity from small-scale renewable energy producers.  In what will be the first program of its type in the state under new regulations, the Legislature, by unanimous vote, approved a partnership with the Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA) to procure the services of companies to develop renewable energy resources on behalf of Tompkins.  All other political subdivisions and districts in the state are authorized to participate in the contracts awarded as a result of the RFP.

With the County serving as Procuring Municipality, the Legislature authorizes MEGA to issue a Request for Proposals, on behalf of the County, to procure services of small-scale energy producers to develop a program whereby up to two megawatts of electricity from renewable sources could be acquired by participants to address up to 25% of their electricity needs through long-term agreements with nearby renewable energy suppliers.  The Legislature’s action represents the first in a series of steps, and does not commit to the purchase of power.

Tompkins County Legislature Candidate Mike Sigler, from the Town of Lansing, introduced a resolution Tuesday for the Legislature to support converting the coal-powered Cayuga Power Plant to natural gas.  His is the first resolution calling on the legislature to support the conversion and keep the plant open.

“This is the top agenda item for so many voters in Lansing,” Sigler said.  "It was time someone came forward with a resolution the Legislature could get behind."

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Private career schools in New York are operating without licenses and more than half are ignoring reporting requirements on job placement and graduation rates, according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Auditors also found hundreds of public complaints that have been unresolved, some for more than a decade, with little or no action. The findings of the audit have been referred to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office for further review.

“There is alarmingly little oversight of private career schools in New York, leaving too many young adults vulnerable to false promises,” DiNapoli said. “Schools have been allowed to operate without a license for years and some investigations into complaints were left open for 10 years or more. Millions of dollars and the education of thousands of New Yorkers are at stake. The State Education Department has taken some steps to tighten oversight but too many students may be getting taken for a ride if more isn’t done soon.”

Village of Lansing Trustees gave the Cornell 'Earn A Buck' (EAB) program permission Monday to conduct a deer hunt on a small parcel of university property that falls within village boundaries.  Bow hunting is permitted in the Village, but Cornell is required to ask permission to hunt on their land each year.  Cornell Extension Department of Natural Resources Associate Jay Boulanger, who administers the EAB program and helps administer the Village's own deer population control program, reported on his program's goals and progress.

"We're not really that concerned with the number of deer taken," Boulanger told Village Trustees Monday.  "We're concerned with the impacts that the deer are causing upon us as we look at deer/vehicle collisions, incidents of lime disease, and whether we or not can grow an oak or a maple tree again.   As soon as we see recovery of some biodiversity we know we're approaching a population level, but despite our best efforts we are not there yet."

The fate of sewer took a significant turn Wednesday when Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller read a statement saying that the town-wide sewer project is dead.  Miller said that a plan that would have levied a sewer charge to all town (New York State Town Law Article 12-C) residents outside the Village whether or not they receive service is being dropped, and the town will not seek to revive an earlier plan that would have imposed sewer paid for only by those within a sewer district in South Lansing (Article 12-A).

"The Town is not going forward with a 12-A or 12-C sewer project based on the existing map plan and report," Miller said.  "There is no plan for a town-wide or residential municipal sewer.  As a result the school will have to pursue replacement of their own sewer system."