Archive: News

Voters elected three Trustees and agreed to increase the Lansing Community Library tax levy by $8,000 Wednesday.   Matthew Montague, Ami Walter Stallone, and Ron Ostman were elected to the board. 

"We were delighted to have over 200 people show up to vote Wednesday.  We made a real effort to get the word out in the Ithaca Journal, The Shopper, online through the Lansing Star, the LCL web site and Facebook pages, and through postings at area businesses; this kind of turnout shows that our community really cares about our local library," says LCL Board of Trustees Secretary Emily Franco.

School district tax levies in the 2012-13 school year are limited to average increases of 3 percent under a new property tax cap law, in addition to any further increases approved by voter overrides of the cap, according to a preliminary analysis of data released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s office.

“The majority of school districts are meeting the new spending limits,” said DiNapoli. “The average growth allowed under the law amounts to about 3 percent but there are some school districts with double digit reductions or increases because of how the formula is calculated.”

As plans for the $10.6 million Lansing sewer project begin to take final shape the Sewer Committee is investigating ways to make the project affordable while finalizing the scope of the project.  Last week a consultant outlined ways of financing the project that could result in an interest rate as low as 1%.  The biggest change in the boundaries of the proposed district is the elimination of Kingdom Farm.  Officials plan public meetings to explain the project when the details of the plan are set.

"What's been happening with the sewer has been very fluid," committee member Andy Sciarabba says.  "People are saying we should have some public information meetings.  We agree with them 100%.  But every time we turn around something changes dramatically, so we would hate to give out facts and information and not be fairly close to what the final plan looks like."

In January, the SPCA of Tompkins County filed charges against Christina Carpenter of Nob Hill Road in Newfield for starving one dog to death and surrendering the second to the SPCA in an emaciated state.

She pled guilty earlier this spring and has now been sentenced in the Newfield Town Court for two Class A misdemeanors under Section 353 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York for her failure to provide food, water and veterinary attention for the two dogs in her care.

The Tompkins County Council of Governments (TCCOG) by unanimous vote today urged the Governor and State Legislature to develop a blend of revenue streams and taxation of natural gas extraction, and to establish "an accurate, transparent, and verifiable method of measuring and reporting shale gas production."

The resolution, already passed by several of the County's municipalities, notes that many revenue-related questions have yet to be answered as the State prepares for permitting for gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale, while local governments are already incurring related expenses.

State Senator Mike Nozzolio announced that schools across his Senate District will receive an increase of more than $12 million in day-to-day operating aid as part of the 2012-13 State Budget.

“Despite a $2 billion deficit, which we successfully closed without raising taxes, my Senate colleagues and I were able to secure a significant increase in school aid and target more of that aid to low-wealth and high-need districts,” said Senator Nozzolio. “This State Budget is a major step forward in helping schools across the Finger Lakes Region meet the challenges they face in providing a high quality education to our children.”

Tompkins County Administrator Joe Mareane announced 4/10 that the New York State Department of Health has approved a closure plan for the County’s Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA), operated by the Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD).  Under the approved closure plan, the agency will close in early May.

The action follows an almost two year review by the County Legislature to divest of the CHHA due to financial losses. The Legislature in February, on recommendation of the County Board of Health and the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, authorized the County to submit the closure plan to the State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and, upon the State’s approval, to implement that plan.

The Lansing Varsity baseball team improved their record to 5-0 following home wins over Edison and Union Springs, and road wins at Greene and Dryden. The Bobcats defeated T.A.E., defending Section IV Class C Champion 3-2 with Benji Parkes earning the win and Ellington Hopkins picking up the save.

Edison got out to an early lead scoring 2 runs in the first inning, but the Bobcats answered back with 2 runs in the bottom of the first. Greg Lehr scored the decisive run in the second inning on an RBI ground out by Ellington Hopkins, from there the Bobcats got solid defense and pitching to earn the win.

The State Comptroller’s office has halted $16.4 million in questionable personal income tax refunds after finding 5,903 improper filings among those who’ve filed so far this year, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today. DiNapoli's office audited and approved 4.7 million refund requests totaling $4.1 billion in 2012. Another 406,000 refund requests totaling $382 million are expected to be paid in the coming days.

“While most taxpayers play by the rules, these unscrupulous filers claimed children they don’t have, listed fictitious day care expenses or used other schemes to cheat their fellow New Yorkers,” DiNapoli said.  “Through my office’s efforts, we will ensure that only legitimate refunds are paid.”

Dana HoughtlingTompkins County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a residence in the 700 block of Van Ostrand Road for a reported assault, Sunday (04/15/12) at approximately 10:30pm, in the Town of Lansing.

The investigation revealed that Dana Houghtling, age 40, of 734 W. Groton Road, Groton, assaulted Jeff West, age 31, of 125 Old Peruville Road, Groton with a knife.  West was transported to Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse where he was listed in critical condition. According to witnesses, Houghtling fled the scene in his vehicle, which was later found off the roadway near the intersection of VanOstrand and Newman Roads.  Deputies believe that Houghtling knew West prior to the assault.

County Attorney Jonathan Wood reported that the County has reached an agreement with Feher Rubbish Removal, Inc., following a finding that the firm had mixed recycling and solid waste in pick-up vehicles and delivered recyclables to a landfill.

Under the agreement, approved by a County hearing panel, Feher will pay a $20,000 fine and the $5,000 cost of the County’s investigation.  It will supply the county with any requested paperwork to confirm that the Company is not mixing loads.

Legislature Approves Funding to Offset State Aid Cuts to Youth Programs
The Legislature, by unanimous vote of those present (Legislators Nathan Shinagawa and Leslyn McBean-Clairborne were excused) approved the allocation of up to $67,500 in contingency funding to fill the gap left by an anticipated 32% reduction in State aid for the County’s youth services programs.  If not restored through local dollars, programs and activities scheduled to be provided to the county’s youth over the rest of 2012, through agency and municipal contracts, would be diminished or eliminated.

The measure notes that the County wishes to sustain the level of programs and activities put forward in the County’s 2012 budget, enabling youth to be served and also providing time for the Youth Services Department and the agencies it supports to consider ways to adjust to diminished State support, as next year’s County budget is prepared.  Youth Services Director Amie Hendrix noted that State funding for youth services has declined by more than 67% since 2010.