Archive: Opinions

Board members Town Board member Robert Cree was quoted in the Star on 9/20/13 as saying, “…as I look at the board as a whole there isn't anyone else including (my opponents) who has the financial strength and fiscal responsibility that I feel I am bringing to the table…".

Robert Cree appears not to be familiar with the financial credentials and current budgeting contributions of his board colleagues or his election-year opponents. We have a wealth of fiscal skills, experience and responsibility among the current Board members and the two Democratic candidates.

As a member of the Lansing Democratic Committee I can verify that we chose Ruth Hopkins as the candidate to run for Town Board in 2011 in part because of her superior financial qualifications and communication skills for the office. She went on to win election to a seat on the Town Board. Ruth earned an MBA in Economics and Accounting from the Simon School of Management and applied her skills and knowledge during a 30-year career at the University of Rochester during which time she was Associate Dean for Finance and Administration that included responsibilities for a $120 million dollar budget. She also served as Director of Administration and Finance for the University Health Services. In her short time on the Board, Ruth has given key guidance to completion of the 2011 NYS Tax Cap (the prior administration failed to submit it), as well as the 2012 and the 2013 Tax Cap calculations. In addition, she has guided the initial framework for a multi-year budgeting effort that includes a process for establishing adequate reserves for replacement of capital assets.

Other members of the present Board bring financial acumen to the table, as well. While not an accountant by training, Kathy Miller's work on the School Board and managing cost centers at Cornell provided her with a solid base for managing Town budgets. She also served as Treasurer for the Lansing Library during the crucial time when the library was renovating the library building; $450,000 was planned, raised, and then spent; Kathy helped oversee this financial work.

Katrina Binkewicz has solid knowledge about the Town budget process from her prior 4 years on the Town Board. Gay Nicholson has extensive financial experience managing non-profit organizations.

Both Katrina Binkewicz and Gay Nicholson are scientists and no strangers to working carefully with data and numbers. With Ruth Hopkins and Kathy Miller continuing to serve on the Town Board, election of Katrina and Gay would ensure that the Town was in good hands financially.

Donna Scott
Lansing
v9i37