Archive: News

Albany – State Senator Mike Nozzolio today announced that Governor Paterson has signed legislation he sponsored requiring Native-American owned businesses to pay sales taxes on sales of tobacco products.  The legislation, Senate bill 8146, was sponsored by Senator Nozzolio in the State Senate and received overwhelming bi-partisan support when it was adopted by both houses of the State legislature in August of this year.

“The only thing worse than taxes are taxes that are imposed unequally and unfairly,” said Senator Nozzolio.  “For far too long, retail businesses throughout our region have been harmed by an unfair tax policy, driving jobs out of the region and hurting small business owners.  Today’s signing of Senate bill 8146 is a historic day for leveling the playing field for all of New York’s businesses and I thank Governor Paterson for ensuring that this important legislation will now be New York State law.”

Administration Gauging Potential Impact of Governor’s Proposed Budget
County Administrator Joe Mareane told Legislators that County Administration and the County’s Department Heads are beginning to assess how Governor David Paterson’s 2009-10 New York State budget, announced earlier today, would impact Tompkins County.  The budget now projects a $13.7 billion dollar deficit, proposing to close the gap through $9.5 billion in cuts and the remainder in revenue increases.

Although it is not yet possible to put a dollar sign on specific cuts, Administrator Mareane cautioned that it appears that most areas where the County receives aid will be affected, some more than others, including

With more and more people looking to the Internet for information both the Town and Village of Lansing have been using it to disseminate information to its residents.  Both update their Web sites regularly, and both have switched from paper newsletters to electronic versions.  With mixed results Village Deputy Mayor Larry Fresinski took the idea a step further this month when he created a Village of Lansing Facebook page.

"This is an experiment to see if we can reach people where they are as opposed to where we are," he says.  "Obviously we are not very successful at bringing people in."

The fate of $4.2 million of State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)  Environmental Bond Act money was in limbo last year when Lansing's sewer project was killed.  The project was halted when town officials were unable to bring the cost to affordable levels for residents who would have been in the sewer district. 

Since then officials have been trying to get the DEC to give the Town some or all of the money for smaller projects, and to reimburse the Town for monies spent.  Last summer Town officials met with the DEC to ask whether the Town could use the money for four projects.  "We were requesting requesting reimbursement for planning and design costs," said Town Supervisor Scott Pinney at Wednesday's Town Board meeting.  "They turned us down.  We were also asking if we could possibly use that money for a stand-alone plant.  They turned us down on that."

Ithaca, NY-The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce pledged to work closely with state and local legislators to improve and implement the hard choices mandated by the 2009-10 Budget Proposal released today by Governor David Paterson.

"The budget plan would reduce our state deficit by almost $60 billion in 5 years, leaving us a ‘mere' $11 billion in the hole," said Jean McPheeters, president of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce. "I applaud the Governor for facing the real economic facts and for deciding to begin the streamlining of state government. However, his budget proposal would eliminate about 3,100 state jobs-just 1.6% of the total workforce while keeping the growth of General Fund spending flat. I think there needs to be more basic cuts and an actual reduction in the size of state government."

 

Since the Lansing Post Office was hit by a  SUV in November box holders and retail customers have had to get their mail at the Warren Road Post Office.  One month later the Lansing branch is nearly ready to reopen.  Ithaca Postmaster William Hyrnko says that once he gets the OK from a Postal Service inspector the office will reopen quickly.  "It will probably take a day or so," he says.  "We're sending out our maintenance people to do the floors.  We'll move in the mail, the products, and the employee."

Hrynko says he has had some difficulty reaching the person who will schedule the inspection, but hopes the branch can open some time next week.  According to Lansing Plaza owner Dr. Elliot Rubinstein the storefront is expected to be ready to move into today (Friday).

Lansing voters came out in surprising numbers for two off-season votes this week.  More than 470 voters approved two Lansing School District capital projects on Monday, and 115 voted for fire commissioners the next day.  Robert Wagner was elected for a third fire commissioner five-year term.  Michael Day won the remaining three years in the fire commissioner seat vacated by Kimberly Spencer, who served about a year and two thirds of her five year term before resigning earlier this year.  George Gesslein won a second term as Fire District Treasurer.

On 12/02/08, at 12:00 PM, deputies arrested Kevin P. Chambliss, age 22, of 658 Ridge Road, Lansing for Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd (Class D Felony) and Attempted Assault 2nd (Class E Felony).

It was alleged that Chambliss had assaulted a female acquaintenence in a Maple Avenue apartment on 11/27/08. It was further alleged that Chambliss was holding a knife during the assault that included verbal threats. He was later located and arrested by warrant.

 

'Extreme parking' could be used to describe a truck at the Pit Stop Tuesday, when an 18-wheeler went off the road near the intersection of East Shore Drive and Ridge Road.  New York State Police responded to the incident.  Bill and Louise Bement were on the scene to snap these pictures.  Charlie's Towing pulled the truck back onto the road.

Albany – In an effort to retrain people unemployed by the tough economic climate, State Senator Mike Nozzolio announced that job skills training programs will be available at the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES in Newark and the Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES, located in Ithaca.

“In these very difficult economic times, it is critical that New York State invest in job skills training for individuals who want to return to work,” said Senator Nozzolio.  “This strategic investment by the State is a win-win for our region.  In addition to helping put New Yorkers back to work, this critical funding will be wisely used to jump-start and strengthen our State economy."

Lansing Star EXTRA!
Flames shot high into the sky  when a barn at the John Joseph Inn and Elizabeth Restaurant burned to the ground Saturday morning.  Fire fighters from Lansing, Cayuga Heights, Locke, and Genoa responded.  But by the time the flames subsided there was only a pile of ash where the barn had stood.
 
Owners John and Elizab eth Hamilton speculated that the fire may have been started by a heat lamp that was being used to incubate chicks, or just very old wiring in the structure.  The couple had chickens and two pigs, none of which survived the fire.  No people were hurt in the incident. 

The Village of Lansing will pay the Town of Lansing about $58,000 for snow removal this year, nearly twice what the Village paid last year.  But Town officials say that the price adjustment is long overdue.   A long standing agreement between the Town and Village was based on a fixed base charge that has never been adjusted for rising costs.  The two municipalities are close to agreeing on a price that will reflect the actual cost of plowing the Village.

"We ended up basically paying half in a period of ten years," Mayor Donald Hartill explained in Monday's Village Trustee meeting.  "If we were to press it I think the Town would say, OK fine, we would like to get out of that contract.'  For us to provide that same service would be significantly more expensive than what they are asking us to pay.  In view of that history I am prepared to say OK."