Archive: News

Village of Lansing taxpayers can look forward to a four cent drop in their next tax bill instead of a two cent rise proposed last month.  Mayor Donald Hartill says the change is due to a misunderstanding of what the New York State 2% tax cap law requires.  The budget proposed last month did raise the tax rate 2%, but the law actually caps the tax levy, the amount of the budget collected in local taxes.

"The plan is to satisfy the 2% cap," Hartill said at a public budget hearing Monday.  "We debated whether to pass a local law overriding the tax cap, which I don't have any particular taste for.  There is no need to."

The Tompkins County Legislature, after listening to over two more than hours of concerned public comment and discussing the issue for another hour-and-a-half, reached its position on the New York SAFE Act.  That position, however, differs from the recommendation advanced by its Public Safety Committee last week, indicating the Legislature’s support of sensible gun control, while addressing State and Federal-level actions concerning gun control.  The measure passed by a 10-5 vote, with Legislators Dave McKenna, Mike Lane, and Frank Proto, Public Safety Chair Brian Robison, and Legislature Chair Martha Robertson voting no.

County Administrator Joe Mareane briefed Legislators on efforts to seek funding to keep open the control tower open at Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, in the wake of the loss of federal funding for control tower operations, as a result of federal sequestration.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has eliminated funding for contract tower operations across the nation, such as those at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, and has reduced support for operations at larger airports staffed by FAA controllers.

April 23rd is election day in the Village of Lansing.  Villagers will elect a mayor and two trustees.  Incumbents Mayor Donald Hartill, and Trustees Lynn Leopold and Patricia O'Rourke are running uncontested this year.

Donald Hartill

Lynn Leopold

Patricia O'Rourke

Hartill has been Mayor of the Village of Lansing for 16 years, and was a Trustee before that beginning in 1989. He and his wife Marion have lived in Lansing since late 1968.  He is a Professor of Physics at Cornell University.  He is running for his 9th term as Mayor.  Hartill has focussed on providing the best services for the least taxes, and delights in telling people the Village has the lowest taxes in the state.

The Lansing Town Board did not come to a decision on whether it will pass a resolution in response to the New York State Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013 (SAFE Act) after mulling its options Wednesday.  Though some board members supported the idea of it, all agreed the process of passing it was flawed.  With sewer, a town center, the comprehensive plan, sign law, a moratorium extension on heavy industry and fracking and other issues on the table Supervisor Kathy Miller questioned whether the council should spend time on a resolution.

"I'll get up on my soap box any day of the week when it comes to the second amendment," said Town Attorney Guy Krogh.  "But I'm not sure this is the business of the Town of Lansing."

Rep. Tom Reed announced he has joined 'No Labels' as a congressional Problem Solver – a bipartisan group of more than 50 Members in the House and Senate open to Members of any party who commit to meet regularly to build trust and find common ground across the aisle.

“We’re excited to be joining this practical group of bipartisan problem solvers,” said Reed. “We came to Washington to change the culture and this group will help do just that. There are real philosophical differences but that does not mean we shouldn’t be building trust and respect. No Labels will act as a force to bring us together.”

Local officials and air travel experts today responded to the loss of federal funds for control tower operations at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, assuring the flying public that the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport is open and air travel into and out of Ithaca will continue with airlines still serving our community with published schedules.  The community should not be concerned, and safety will not be compromised, but the officials did express concern that nationwide cuts in air traffic control funding will result in delays and interruptions throughout the country.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced nationwide cuts in funding for air traffic control as the result of the federal sequestration.  The FAA has eliminated funding for contract tower operations, including the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, and reduced support for operations at larger airports staffed by FAA controllers.

Two committees of the County Legislature have agreed that the County should proceed with an examination of the County’s Livable Wage policy.

The Legislature’s Budget, Capital, and Personnel Committee, meeting Monday, and its Government Operations Committee, meeting today, both approved moving ahead with the review, according to an approach recommended by County Administrator Joe Mareane, first presented to the committees last month.

New York Senator Michael F. Nozzolio led the fight to secure $75 million dollars in additional funding for local roads and infrastructure in the 2013-2014 State Budget, as part of the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS). This important funding will help local governments meet their infrastructure needs, without raising taxes on New York’s hardworking taxpayers.

“Local governments are responsible for the maintenance of over 89,000 bridges and nearly 100,000 miles of local roads and highways in our State. If stretched end to end, our local roads would circumnavigate the globe nearly four times. This funding is vital in the efforts to repair our local roads and keep them maintained,” said Nozzolio.  “As State Senator, my number one priority is working to reduce the burden on New York’s hardworking taxpayers.  This funding is a giant step forward in our efforts to protect taxpayers, while helping local governments to meet their infrastructure and maintenance needs.”

After 22 years of practicing law Pamela Bleiwas (BLY-weiss) will run in the upcoming race for Tompkins County Court Judge to fill the seat currently held by retiring Judge M. John Sherman.  Bleiwas will seek the Democratic nomination.  The anticipated date for the primary election is September 10, 2013.

Bleiwas has almost two decades of experience representing children and adults who appear before the County Court Judge in Tompkins County.  She advocates for children in child protective and juvenile delinquency proceedings, supports parents as they work with social service agencies to rebuild their families, and crafts solutions to custody disputes that put children first.  She has extensive experience in criminal proceedings on both felony and misdemeanor levels, often representing clients as young as 16 years of age.

Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WF-125) and a broad coalition, that includes Cornell, Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland, Tompkins County Chamber, Sustainable Tompkins, Sustainable Cortland, businesses, youth groups, and local governments, announced today a major regional conference, “Climate Smart & Climate Ready,” to be held from Thursday April 18 - Sunday April 21 in Ithaca and Cortland.

This important, educational and exciting conference, which is being coordinated by Sustainable Tompkins, will kick off on Thursday evening (4/18) with a keynote address by Mark Hertsgaard, one of our country’s leading environmental journalists and author of HOT – Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth. His speech – focusing on how communities nationwide are responding to climate change - will be at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca and free of charge. On Saturday April 20, the climate change topic gets “local” with a panel discussing the major impacts on our region, followed by workshops tailored to four main audiences – business, community, youth and local government.

Rep. Tom Reed announced today the upcoming opening of a new district office in Tompkins County. The office, planned to be located in the Gateway Center Building, 401 East State Street in Ithaca, will provide increased accessibility to constituents throughout the 11-county district.

“Our Ithaca office will provide residents in the eastern part of the district with an additional opportunity to meet with staff to have their questions answered and thoughts heard,” Reed said. “We’re looking forward to having an even stronger presence in this new part of our district and be a resource for all of our constituents.”