Archive: News

With the new school year almost ready to begin Lansing school administrators are preparing to open the doors.  Part of the planning for this year is programming to address the illegal use of drugs in Lansing High School.  After several incidents last year parents approached then Principal Michelle Brantner about school-wide programs, especially to address misuse of prescription drugs.  It was too late in the school year to do that, but new Principal Eric Hartz is working with Superintendent Stephen Grimm to develop at least one program set for this November.

"We've made contact with some consultants that will come in the early part of November to talk with the high school staff," Grimm says.  "They'll come back again to talk to the entire student body, and their parents that night.  We're calling that piece 'Parent University.'"

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri (NY-24) and U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei (NY-25) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded grants and loans to a number of rural water infrastructure improvement projects throughout the 24th and 25th Congressional Districts.  These funds, administered by USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program, were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Bill) to ensure that the necessary investments are made in water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water and protect the environment in rural areas.

Wednesday night the Lansing Town Board voted to change health insurance benefits for retirees 65 years old and older.  The vote was the culmination of months of deliberation in an attempt to save the Town money on health care payments that were fast becoming a bottomless pit. 

"We've considered it a lot," said Lansing Supervisor Scott Pinney.  "We've talked to a lot of people.  The board has discussed it for many months now.  The current plan cost is so high that even the percentage the retirees pay is fairly high.  I believe this move saves the majority of the retirees money as well as the town money.  I think it will benefit everybody in the future as well."

As the Village of Lansing struggles with its oversized deer population it looks like the third year of its deer population management program will continue to be marginally effective.  Trustee John O'Neill reported Monday that he approached the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) about providing sharp shooters to help thin the deer population, but it doesn't look like that will be a viable option.

The program hasn't been very effective because the owner of the largest undeveloped property in the Village has not agreed to a hunt.  This year O'Neill says the owner of Murray Estates, long known as Sundowns Farm, is willing to consider a limited sharpshooting hunt during specific hours, but state regulations provide too many obstacles to make such a hunt viable.

State Senator Mike Nozzolio today admonished Governor Paterson and the State Department of Taxation and Finance for refusing to comply with the law enacted last year taxing cigarettes sold by Native Americans. By refusing to collect these taxes, New York State faces a loss of over $65 million in sales tax revenue at a time when it is needed more than ever.

“The New York State Budget already faces a deficit of nearly $2.1 billion and it is outrageous that the State Tax Department refuses to enforce the law and collect this much-needed revenue,” said Senator Nozzolio. “On behalf of hardworking New York taxpayers and small business owners, I demand that Governor Paterson reconsider this irresponsible decision.”

Legislature Addresses 2009 Budget Challenges

The Legislature, by a vote of 13-1, authorized a series of internal account transfers and policy changes to bring the 2009 budget into balance, reconciling a projected $3.5 million budget shortfall.  (Legislator Mike Sigler voted no; Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera was absent.)  Policy changes include a flexible freeze on hiring and on equipment purchases greater than $2,000, as well as a temporary suspension of the County’s rollover policy which would allocate department personnel-related savings during 2009 to offset projected County deficits, rather than being retained by departments.

As a component in the six year plan of the Annual Reassessment Program, the Tompkins County Department of Assessment is conducting a parcel-by-parcel data verification of all real property in the County from the road right of way.

"The members of the professional appraisal staff will be traveling in county owned vehicles with a County insignia on the car window and official license plate," says Assistant Director of Assessment Jay Franklin. "They will be reviewing the correctness of the existing data, and taking photos of the properties in order to update the assessment records."

The Lansing Community Center was filled last night as Lansing Democrats came out to choose two Town Board candidates and one for Town Justice.  While incumbent Judge William Burin was unopposed for the justice seat, three candidates put themselves forward for two Town Board seats being vacated by Republicans Bud Shattuck and Matt Besemer at the end of this year.  Kathy Miller, James Mason, and Doug Boles answered questions before the caucus voted to endorse two of them as the Democratic candidates in November's general election.

The first order of business was to elect a caucus chair and secretary.  Former Lansing Democratic Committee Chairman Greg Lawrence was elected chair, and Marcy Rosenkrantz was voted in as secretary.  From that point Lawrence ran the proceedings, first asking the candidates to speak for up to ten minutes about themselves and their platforms, and then to answer questions.  Only registered Democrats are allowed to participate in a caucus.

Since the Lansing Star first reported on Giant Hogweed on July 17 the Lansing Highway Department has received at least a dozen calls from people asking about the poisonous plant.  Highway Supervisor Jack French says that while giant hogweed looks a lot like Queen Anne's lace, it is easy to tell the two apart once you know what you are looking for.

"We've probably had a dozen calls from people telling us they think they've got hogweed, and from people who have hogweed," he says.  "A lot of people see that, especially in your paper and the Journal.  It does look like Queen Anne's Lace, but you can't tell the size of it."

The Lansing Board of Education voted 4-1 to reduce the tax rate for the 2009-2010 budget year.  A number of positive and negative impacts to the coming budget more or less evened out to assure most board members that they could stick close to the tax levy amount they approved in May.  A growing overall assessed value positively impacted by a Payment In Lieu Of taxes (PILOT) agreement with AES Cayuga meant that keeping the same tax rate would raise more than the board anticipated when they calculated the budget last Spring.

"With the amount of additional assessment I think we should think about giving a decrease in our tax assessment figure of 75 cents," said board member Richard Thayler.  "If we feel we can't do the 75 cents I feel we ought to do something to indicate to the taxpayers that we're aware of the additional assessments and that we have some kind of consideration for them."

Responding to advice from County Administrator Joe Mareane and Finance Director David Squires, the Legislature’s Budget, Capital and Finance Committee today endorsed proposed policy changes and the first in a series of internal budget transfers to bring the 2009 County budget into balance.

The administrator told the committee that continued erosion in sales tax revenue, shortfalls in various human service programs and an expected deficit in the Assigned Counsel budget have increased the projected 2009 budget shortfall by $1.2 million more than earlier projected, to about $3.5 million.