Archive: News

Only about a dozen people came to Lansing High School Tuesday to learn about the upcoming School Capital Project.  Despite mailings, newspaper articles, advertisements, radio appearances and other efforts by the school district to publicize the public hearing, the showing was disappointing to school officials and residents who did show up.  "I'm concerned about the number of empty seats this evening," said one resident, Sidney Cleveland.  "I would certainly hope that we could encourage more of the tax payers who will be paying for this project and past projects to come next week."

The Lansing School District began the community awareness phase of its proposed $20.8 million capital project in earnest Monday when school officials took their show on the road.  Superintendent Mark Lewis brought administrators and School Board Member Dan Brown to present the case for the project to the Lansing Lions Club.  Brown told the Lions of his own children's' success that he attributes to the education they got at Lansing.  "This capital project is about continuing that for the next group of students," he said. "So I am really excited about this project."

Lansing Lions Club President Linn Davidson (standing) welcomes (left to right) Superintendent Mark Lewis, High School Principal Michelle Stone, and School Board member Dan Brown (Business Administrator Larry Lawrence not pictured)

State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio came to R. C. Buckley Elementary School Thursday to announce he has secured $50,000 for the new Lansing-Groton Teacher Center.  The center is a project that Curriculum Director Deborah Pichette has been working on virtually since she came to the district last year.  "We're in a very difficult, challenging environment," Nozzolio said.  "Anything we can do to have a competitive edge to teach our children is something we're focussed on."

Lansing is the fastest growing town in Tompkins County.  With over a hundred new homes in the works, political pressure from the County to encourage affordable housing, and the town's geographical desirability that trend will only escalate, at least in the near future.  For the past half dozen years the Town Board has been looking at ways to handle this growth.  "The 2010 Committee back in the 1990s looked at it, we looked at it maybe five years ago when Meg Overstrom was on our board" says Deputy Supervisor Bud Shattuck.

On February 6, 2007, residents of the Lansing School District will have an opportunity to vote on two propositions for capital building projects totaling $20,830,000. The District embarked on a lengthy process throughout 2005 and 2006 that included significant input from community volunteers prior to authorizing these two propositions. According to Bonita Lindberg, President of the Board of Education, “The district’s goal throughout this process has been to implement good stewardship of our facilities, provide a quality learning environment, and be fiscally responsible to our taxpayers.”

Mark S. LewisThis winter seems to be going faster than most, perhaps in part due to the fact that we haven’t had much of a winter (which, by the way, is fine with me!) and due, perhaps, as well, because of the sizeable number of important initiatives that are on the school district’s agenda. The February 6^th construction referendum public awareness activity is one of the top initiatives. It has been months, even years, in the planning, and now is the time for the voters to consider it.

In the days and weeks to come you will receive information in the mail reporting the details of the propositions to be voted upon. Please take a few moments to review it. You will also receive follow-up post card reminders to be sure to vote on February 6^th.

Albany – New York State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-Fayette) today applauded Governor Eliot Spitzer’s announcement that the State Department of Taxation and Finance will work to enforce state law requiring tax collections on cigarettes sold by Native Americans to non-Native Americans.

In a recent meeting, Senator Nozzolio discussed the issue of taxation of Indian retailers with Governor Spitzer and was extremely pleased that the new Governor agreed that the current law requiring tax collection must be enforced.

On February 6th Lansing school district voters will be asked to approve a capital project.  Voters will decide whether to approve an $18,725,000 project that includes 51 long term maintenance items in all three schools and the bus garage, renovation and upgrading of three science classrooms/labs, 11 general classrooms including some that offset those lost in renovating science rooms, two business classrooms, a special education room, an art classroom, upgraded main and nurse's offices, and a new district office.  At the same time they will be asked to approve a second $2,105,000 proposition to construct a new band/orchestra room and a technology classroom.

If approved, the project won't show up on your tax bill until 2009.  And school officials are quick to stress that taxpayers won't pay the entire $20.8 million.  State aid will pay for much of the project.  Of the $20.1 million around $6.25 million is the part local taxpayers will fund.  If both propositions are passed, it will cost 98 cents per thousand of assessed value, and if only the first proposition passes that will be 87 cents per thousand.

With 85% of New York's population paying 8% or higher in sales tax, New York rates among the highest in the country.  That makes your purchases cost more when you shop.  But it benefits you when you get your local tax bills.  Tompkins County is one of 43 counties that has sales tax sharing agreements with its constituent municipalities, which means Lansing received $1,409,006.70 in 2006.  That amount is $321,761.70 more than the town budgeted for.  "This excess sales tax money is a way that we can squirrel money away and pay for a portion of next year's expenses without impacting the tax rate," says Town Bookkeeper Sharon Bowman.

Mayor Don Hartill told Village Trustees Monday that he still hasn't received a copy of the engineer's report from Town officials.  Without seeing the specific plan, he said he can not respond to questions the Town has raised about including  Autumn Ridge in the service area.  While most of Autumn Ridge is in the Township, parts of it plus access to the development are in the Village.

It's official -- the Lansing Board of Education voted to put the $20.7 million dollar capital project on the ballot February 6.  It's official -- the Lansing Board of Education voted to put the $20 million dollar capital project on the ballot February 6.  After months of deliberation by the Facilities Committee, board members took additional time to research and debate the best way to include a new district office in the plan, something the committee had decided not to consider. 

After considering several options on campus and off, the Board decided to put it into the northwest side of the High School.  This was among the most economical options that also met the Board's strong preference to keep the District Office on the campus. 

Seneca Falls – In response to reports that the Cayuga Indian Nation is acquiring 205 acres in Cayuga and Seneca Counties, New York State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-Fayette) announced that he is fighting efforts by the Cayugas to place their real estate holdings into a federal trust. Any land placed into a federal trust is permanently made sovereign and free from taxation.

“By applying to the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs to put their land into federal trust, the Cayuga Indian Nation continues to look for back-door sovereignty after their unfavorable decision in the City of Sherrill case” said Senator Nozzolio. “The City of Sherrill decision was clear: Indian tribes cannot purchase land that they left 200 years ago and claim it as sovereign land.”