Archive: News

Mike NozzolioSenator Mike Nozzolio announced Monday that the Senate has adopted legislation (S.476) he is sponsoring requiring State and county correctional facility inmates to make co-payments for health care visits, the same policy that is in place in the federal prison system and 2/3 of the states.

“Hardworking taxpayers are being forced every day to change or even drop their health care coverage because of rising premiums, unbearable co-pays and outrageous State taxes on healthcare benefits.  Meanwhile, those convicted of violent crimes, murder, rape, robbery and drug offenses enjoy unlimited access to free health care at taxpayer expense,” said Nozzolio who serves as Chairman of the Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee.

To protect the property taxpayers in the Town of Lansing and the Lansing School district, Senator Michael Nozzolio announced today he is sponsoring legislation (S.6842) that will enable the AES Cayuga plant to reopen, and once again contribute to the local tax base.

“Up until very recently, hundreds of local residents were employed at the AES Cayuga plant and the facility generated millions of dollars in revenue to support our property taxpayers,” said Nozzolio. “Unfortunately, the loss of tax payments from the AES Cayuga plant requires the property taxpayers of Lansing to assume enormous tax consequences.”

Thomas P. DiNapoliState Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Wednesday that New York's 529 College Savings Program Direct Plan has negotiated even lower fees for individuals participating in the program.  In addition, other changes expand access to investment options for potential investors.

“We believe higher education should be possible for all families and we are always looking for new ways to help them save for that goal,” DiNapoli said. “The changes to New York’s 529 program we are announcing today will allow us to better help parents save for their children’s futures.”

Four Town Board members met with the Lansing Sewer Committee Wednesday to be brought up to date on the proposed sewer district project.  The project is at the point where the Board has to decide on whether to support the project both in concept and tangibly, and to begin planning public information sessions that Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller says could begin as early as June.  Committee member Andy Sciarabba said that it is time for the board to get behind the sewer proposal.

"You represent us.  We elected you," Sciarabba said.  "We want you to show leadership and take a position on some of these things."

Village of Lansing trustees passed a resolution to allow a permissive referendum to use $549,651 from a general capital reserve fund to help pay for a new $740,000 village hall.  The 2,662 square foot office building will include offices for the Village Clerk, Code Enforcement Office, and DPW, and will include a public meeting room and an office for the Trustees and Mayor.

The rest of the money will come from the unexpended fund balance from last year's budget.  Mayor Donald Hartill says the building will not require additional taxes, and that saving for building projects is part of the Village's 'pay as you go' plan.

Voters will go to the polls Tuesday to approve a proposed $26 million Lansing School District 2012-2013 budget.  Additionally voters will elect two school board members.  Incumbents Anne Drake and Aziza Benson are being challenged by Michelle Uhl-Stark, Julie Boles, and Max Rogan.  Superintendent Stephen Grimm presented the budget in a public meeting Monday, and met informally with taxpayers Thursday.

"Funding the general budget has been a great challenge," Grimm said.  "It's one of the most challenging years in the history of New York State education.  The revenue loss is staggering.  Wall street, the overall economic decline.  It also hits us with the AES Cayuga power plant as they're struggling, and they're our largest taxpayer."

The Lansing Sewer Committee looked at three scenarios Wednesday that may determine the cost of sewer for residents within the proposed district.  Committee member Andy Sciarabba says the annual cost needs to be in the high 500s to low 600s range to make it affordable to residents within the proposed district.  The project is estimated at $9,750,835, including a sewage treatment plant to be located near Portland Point.

In the best case scenario sewer could cost as little as $385 in the first year, slowly rising to $775 over 30 years.  That includes both the annual fee to pay construction costs and an operation and maintenance (O&M) fee.  Sciarabba says the O&M fee would be lower in the early years when the system is new because it will be less likely to need repairs.

At its meeting on April 16, 2012, the Board of Trustees unanimously passed the 2012-2013 Village of Lansing Budget as proposed.  Features of the budget include $2,446,197 in appropriations for the General Fund with the aggregate salaries for the Board of Trustees at $20,000 ($5000.00 each) and the Mayor’s salary at $12,500.  The tax rate has been reduced from $1.21 to $.99 per $1000 assessed value for the 2012-2013 Budget.

Funds are also included for the new Village Office Building with an estimated total cost including contingency of $720,000.  The new office building is being paid for by a combination of carry-over funds from last year’s budget and funds from the Capital Reserve Fund.

Legislature Adopts 2.2% Maintenance-of-Effort Financial Goal for 2013
As a starting point toward preparing a 2013 County budget, the Legislature established a financial goal that directs the County Administrator to establish departmental and agency spending targets and develop a 2013 budget that can be supported with a 2.2% tax levy increase.  The vote was 13-2, with Legislators Dooley Kiefer and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne voting no.

County Administrator Joe Mareane estimates that a 2.2% levy increase would support a maintenance-of-effort budget, following three years of very deep cuts—a plan that would support current operations, incorporating adjustments for such factors as new wage/fringe rates, uncontrollable mandates, and other fixed costs.

State Senate today adopted a series of legislative measures that State Senator Mike Nozzolio supported and fought to enact  to prevent convicted sexual predators from obtaining access to potential victims and help law enforcement keep track of their whereabouts. The legislation will help increase the amount of information available about convicted sex offenders and seeks to prevent them from obtaining access to vulnerable individuals.

“Sexual predators prey on the innocent and are among the most dangerous criminals in our society because of their tendency to commit repeated acts of violence," said Nozzolio. "As Chairman of the Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee, I have fought strenuously for increased penalties for sex offenders and improved services and support for crime victims. The legislation adopted by my Senate colleagues and I represents the next step in our efforts to keep our children and communities safe and increase public awareness when these individuals are released from prison.”

Thomas P. DiNapoliNew York’s Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) supported 4,444 projects and provided nearly $500 million in net tax exemptions in 2010, but projects were down and cumulative job gains decreased by 22,000 from the prior year, according to an annual performance report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report noted for the second straight year that there appears to be limited correlation between higher tax exemptions and job creation.

“Taxpayers are not getting enough bang for their buck when it comes to IDAs,” DiNapoli said. “Residents, particularly those in high-cost regions such as Long Island and the mid-Hudson Valley, have every right to question whether the additional tax breaks are producing promised economic benefits.”

The Lansing Town Hall was nearly full Wednesday with residents who wanted to weigh in on a proposed moratorium on heavy industry that is aimed at preventing fracking in the town for a year.  19 residents spoke in favor of the moratorium, with some going further to urge the Town Board to ban fracking outright.  One resident spoke against it.  All five board members said they strongly favor a moratorium.

"It always amazes me that economics trumps health," said Lansing Supervisor Kathy Miller.  "And that's basically what this is.  We're really not sure about the health consequences of fracking.  The CDC is doing studies that they've started in Texas, and I think they are at the most five years old.  We all know that it takes them 20 years to finish their studies."