Archive: News

In a recent budget review session, Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee were urged to consider the potential effects of cutting the County’s contribution to support municipal youth development programs.  In her final budget presentation in 30 years as Youth Services Director, Nancy Zahler cautioned the reduction would dismantle an important intermunicipal collaboration serving county youth and rescind a County policy commitment made by the legislature more than two decades ago.

The 2011 Tentative Budget calls for cutting more than a quarter-million dollars in matching County funds for municipal youth programs, since pressing claims of mandated and uncontrollable costs greatly limit the County’s capacity to  raise property taxes on behalf of other jurisdictions. As part of the budget, the County’s contribution to the Community and Career Apprenticeship program is also reduced by half.

Much of the focus was on the Health Department, as Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee neared the end of the presentation phase of 2011 budget review—much of that discussion concerning the future of the certified home health agency (or CHHA) operated by the Health Department.

The tentative budget prepared by County Administrator Joe Mareane calls for a nearly $200,000 target reduction, which would eliminate local dollar support for the home health agency by mid-year—reductions to be achieved either through internal cost savings or revenue increases or, if that does not prove feasible, through transfer to a qualified not-for-profit provider to provide the community service. 

ROME, N.Y. – Congressional candidate Richard Hanna talked Monday about the most important way to improve the American economy: do not hinder small businesses.

Hanna discussed specific steps the federal government could take to grow job creation and limit burdens on small businesses. Hanna made the announcement at Rome Strip Steel a family-run business that has manufactured precision cold rolled strip steel for more than seven decades. Hanna was joined by company President Kirk Hinman and company Vice President of Sales and Marketing Mark Hinman.

Last week the Lansing Board Of Education got a stark look at the challenges they will face in creating the next budget.  After a year of staff and supply cuts last year they will face even more painful cuts this year to try to bridge a budget to revenue gap of nearly $2.8 million.  District Business Administrator Mary June King sited significantly diminishing state aid, the loss of federal stimulus aid, the loss of revenue from Lansing's biggest taxpayer, limited reserves, and a state aid take-back among the causes of a 'funding cliff' school districts across the state are facing this year.

"The one piece of good news is that when we start planning the '12-'13 fiscal year we don't expect to be seeing that funding cliff that year," King said.  "This is the funding cliff.  We need to survive this."

As they continued review of the County’s 2011 tentative budget, Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee examined several more requests, most seeking restoration of program reductions needed to meet the County’s fiscal targets.

PROBATION AND COMMUNITY JUSTICE:

Director Patricia Buechel submitted the largest single over target request reviewed to date:  more than $200,000 to preserve the Day Reporting Program at its current, full-day status.  In the tentative budget, County Administrator Joe Mareane recommends over target spending of more than $100,000 to support a half-day program. 

A New York State Department of Health (DOH) employee was charged Wednesday with felony grand larceny after an investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s office revealed she used state-issued credit cards to shop at department stores and visit Turning Stone Casino.

“State-issued credit cards are supposed to help agencies manage finances better, not pay for employees to go off on taxpayer-funded gambling junkets and shopping sprees,” DiNapoli said. “This kind of abuse is intolerable. I will ask the Albany County District Attorney’s Office to seek the maximum punishment allowed under the law.”

The Tompkins County Legislature has taken a firm stand on the issue of a proposed property tax cap, maintaining that New York State must significantly cut its unfunded mandates that cause local property tax increases before imposing any local property tax cap.  Acting on a resolution advanced by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), the Legislature “urges the Governor and State Legislature not to impose a local property tax cap unless it is coupled with significant cuts in local costs for State mandated programs that cause local property tax increases.”  The measure was supported by a vote of 13-1, with Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera voting no and Will Burbank excused.

Legislature Accepts Federal Grant for Solid Waste Management Division

The Legislature, by unanimous vote (Legislator Will Burbank was absent), accepted a $29,500 “Reduce-Reuse-Recycle-Rebuy in Schools Grant” awarded by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to the Solid Waste Management Division.  The grant, which involves a $3,000 local match of cash and in-kind services, will support a pilot program to strengthen “4Rs” practices in Tompkins County schools.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoliThe New York State economy remains seriously damaged from the worst national recession in decades, precipitated by high risk lending practices, according to a report on economic trends in New York State released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. According to the report, New York’s economy is slowly improving, but the recovery is fragile and is likely to be lengthy with weak job gains. Although the downturn was less severe in  New York than in the nation, the State still lost 367,400 jobs and the unemployment rate more than doubled to 8.9 percent during the recession—a 17-year high.

Michael ArcuriUtica, NY—On Friday the New York State Supreme Court for Albany County upheld a successful grassroots effort to create an independent ballot line, the Moderates line, despite a desperate challenge from Richard Hanna.

“From the start, the purpose of the Moderates line was to give independent-minded voters an alternative to the scandal-ridden local Independence Party,” said Congressman Arcuri, “Our volunteers worked hard to make sure that voters would have that choice on November 2nd, and the court’s decision ensures that they will.”

Utica, NY – Today, U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri (NY-24) was joined by House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Sandy Levin and representatives from the local manufacturing and business community to discuss legislation that would level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers struggling to compete in the global market because of China’s unfair trade practices.  The Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act (H.R. 2378), which passed in the House on Wednesday evening, would hold China accountable for the manipulation of its currency and demonstrate that the United States will not tolerate  unfair and illegal practices in foreign markets that have cost millions of American jobs.

Republicans.  Democrats.  Those are the parties that continue to dominate American politics, including our own local politics.  But recently Tea Party and similar groups have captured the public's imagination -- if you love them they are grass roots citizen organizations made of people like you and me that, like the Peter Finch's character Howard Beale in the movie 'Network', are 'mad as hell and aren't going to take it any more.'   If you hate them they are right-wing extremist organizations that send ringers into local politics to upset so-called 'legitimate' candidates.

There are a few such organizations in Tompkins County, and to find out the truth behind the stereotypes, the Star interviewed Kelly Kheel, who started 912 TEA of Cortland/Tompkins County NY (912TEACTCNY).  Kheel lives in Lansing, and has attended Tea Party events around the country.  She is passionate about going back to the fundamentals of the U.S. Constitution, and is articulate and independent.  Bucking the negative stereotype she cites local Democrats she has come to respect and admire, as well as Republicans.  She came bearing gifts of the book 'The 500 Year Leap' and a copy of the U.S. Constitution.