Archive: News

Continuing his aggressive efforts to ensure dangerous violent felons are never released into our communities, State Senator Mike Nozzolio is demanding that the New York State Parole board deny convicted murderer, Mark David Chapman’s latest parole request. Chapman is currently an inmate serving a 20 year to life sentence at the Wende Correctional Facility for his cold blooded murder of musician John Lennon.

"Tragically, John Lennon’s positive message and his life were fatally ended by Mark David Chapman," Nozzolio said. "It is the responsibility of the New York State Parole Board to ensure that public safety is protected from the release of dangerous criminals like Mark David Chapman."

Legislature Takes Comment on Proposed Redistricting Plan
Legislators heard public comment on the proposal to redraw the boundaries of County legislative districts, based on the 2010 Census.  The public hearing focused on a proposed Local Law that would reconfigure the districts and reduce the size of the Legislature from 15 to 14 members—from five to four in the City of Ithaca—as recommended by the County’s Independent Redistricting Commission after a year of careful deliberation.

Twelve people spoke at the half-hour-long hearing, among them four former long-time County legislators:  John Marcham, Stuart Stein, Nancy Schuler, and Eric Lerner (who is a member of the Independent Redistricting Commission).

Two weeks ago questions about the makeup and timing of the Town Center seemed to threaten the sewer project when Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller said the Town Board might not be in support of the project.  She said some board members question plans for a Town Center, though they seem to be in favor of sewer.  Lansing's Town Center depends on sewer, and sewer depends on the Town Center.  Without the density promised by projects planned for the Town Land on 34B across the street from the town ballfields there will not be enough dwelling units in the sewer district to bring the cost of building a sewer to a manageable level. 

"In my own mind people who want sewer truly are thinking of sewer," she said.  "They're not thinking about the Town Center.  But the people who aren't in the sewer district and don't truly understand the economics of it -- or maybe they do -- they are so vested in this Town Center idea that they're not wrapping their head around all the information."

Village of Lansing officials have been considering changes to their deer management program since early summer.  Dr. Bernd Blossey, who has organized bowhunters for the program since it began, told Village Trustees Monday how new DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) rules will impact the local program.  They also considered whether to change Village law to allow crossbow hunting.

The biggest change is that hunters are now allowed to take two antlerless deer per day in Deer Management Focus Areas.  Additionally an extended hunting season in these areas has been added between the second Saturday in January through January 31.

Last week Stephen Grimm announced his resignation as Lansing Superintendent of Schools.  Grimm will be moving to a new job as Superintendent the Penfield Central School District.  Grimm sat down with the Lansing Star on Monday to talk about why he is moving and how he views the Lansing district.

Grimm is originally from Henrietta, a southern suburb of Rochester.  Before coming to Lansing he was an assistant principal in the Canandaigua School District and a math and science teacher in the West Irondequoit and Geneseo school districts.

The New York State Thruway Authority should explore all other options to increase revenue and cut costs before going ahead with a 45 percent average toll increase on some commercial vehicles that could impact the state’s economic recovery, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said today.

DiNapoli released an analysis showing the Thruway Authority has increased operating costs by 36 percent over the past ten years, but revenues have not kept pace. Debt service payments have nearly doubled to $181.9 million over the same time frame, necessitating increased revenue, while the authority has failed to publicly prioritize its capital projects. DiNapoli also called for an independent review of the Canal System to identify savings and alternative revenue sources, and create a plan to make it a more viable part of the upstate New York economy.

The Lansing Board of Education approved a $3,033,054 capital project Monday that will focus on repair of aging school buildings.  The Building Core Reconstruction (BCR) Project is the next step in a five year plan that addresses a total of $11 million in capital improvements through thee 2015-2016 school year.

Superintendent Stephen Grimm says that the plan is to define projects in even years, and for construction to take place in odd years.  The Learning, Health & Safety Project, which featured major renovations to the high school and work on the elementary and middle schools, is currently being completed.  Depending on how the Board decides to finance the project Grimm says it will have no or minimal impact on local taxes.

Mike NozzolioIn another strongly worded message to the New York State Thruway Authority,  State Senator Mike Nozzolio condemned the proposed 45% toll increase for commercial vehicles calling it disastrous to New York's economy.

"There is no question," said Nozzolio, "that all businesses will suffer if this proposed toll increase is allowed."  Nozzolio has urged all the members of the New York State Thruway Authority, to reconsider their proposal to implement the toll increase.

The Lansing Town Board passed a law Wednesday to require permits for Bingo and other games of chance.  The law updates a 1958 town law that is no longer in compliance with New York State law.  It will require charitable groups to obtain a permit before conducting fifty-fifties and other raffles, Bingo, and other legal games of chance.

"It will change the flavor of games of chance," said Councilwoman Andra Benson.  "Not so much Bingo, because that's pretty set.  The little raffles, the fifty-fifties that are all over town, whether its at the schools, the churches, or the community center.  It tracks them.  You have to ask for a permit and you have to comply.  People may be a little upset, but this is a state law that we have to follow."

A public hearing to gather community input on the proposed gifting of the Lansing Community Library (LCL) building to the library attracted a number of library supporters Wednesday.  Ownership of the building will make the library eligible for grants for capital improvements that were impossible without either building ownership or a long term lease.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Lansing Community Library as well as the Friends of the Library, volunteers and the staff, I'd like to thank the Town Board for their support," said President of LCL Board of Trustees Emily Franco.  "We're looking forward to the transfer of this very important building.  While the entire Lansing community has given us tremendous support, I want to emphasize that this transfer will make the library eligible for grants and funding that were not previously available, especially with regard to building maintenance and repairs, which are significant in a building that is as old as our library."

Tompkins County residents should be watching their mailboxes for their new Tompkins County Prescription Drug Discount Card, a card that provides significant savings on brand-name and generic prescription drugs. The discount cards are being mailed next week to more than 42,000 addresses in Tompkins County.

Tompkins County government is partnering with ProAct, Inc. to provide uninsured and underinsured residents with the free pharmacy benefits discount card, at no cost to the County. Most prescription drugs are covered, with discounts ranging from 10-20% on brand-name drugs and 20-70% for generics.

Public Hearing Scheduled on Proposed Redistricting Law
The Legislature scheduled a public hearing on the proposed Local Law that would reconfigure County legislative districts, based on the 2010 Census.  The vote was 11-2, with Legislators Carol Chock and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne voting no.  (Legislators Kathy Luz Herrera and Pam Mackesey were excused.)  The hearing will be held at the Legislature’s next meeting, August 21, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at Legislature Chambers, second floor or the County Courthouse, 320 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca.  The redistricting plan, recommended by the County’s Independent Redistricting Commission after a year of careful study and deliberation, would reduce the number of County legislative districts from 15 to 14.

Legislator Chock stated firmly that she does not support going to hearing at this point and once again expressed serious concern about the 14-district configuration proposed, maintaining City of Ithaca residents are being asked to absorb all differences of reducing the size of the Legislature by one.