PHILIP MORRIS FINANCIAL WOES MAY AFFECT COUNTY REVENUE
County Finance Director David Squires commented that if Phillip Morris, the tobacco giant most responsible for making tobacco settlement payments, suffers a financial failure as a result of another punitive lawsuit, Tompkins could see loss of or delay in its annual tobacco payments. The County is due to receive a payment of $550,000 in two weeks and anticipates a total of about $825,000 for the year. Contact: David Squires, 274-5545.

APPROVAL OF JAIL DESIGN STUDY IS POSTPONED
A resolution that would have approved $90,000 for design work on the Tompkins County jail was postponed when the measure failed to gain enough votes in committee. Legislators agreed that a delay beyond their next meeting is inadvisable. The state Commission of Corrections has extended until June the variances that allow the jail to house more inmates than it was built for, but the Commission has been firm with the County in stating it must make progress toward expansion. The scope of work for the design consultant will be discussed again at a Public Safety Committee meeting Thursday, and the matter will return to the Legislature for approval at its April 15 meeting. Contact: Barbara Blanchard, Chair, Public Safety Committee, 277-1374.

COUNTY ASKS THAT 8 PERCENT SALES TAX BE CONTINUED
Consumers in Tompkins County have paid 8 percent sales tax since 1992 when the state allowed the County Legislature to raise it from 7 percent. Permission to charge the additional 1 percent expires in November and the County has asked to have it extended another two years, to November 2005. Bills have been filed in the state assembly and senate requesting the extension. The sales tax revenue collected by the County is shared with the City of Ithaca and the towns and villages. Nancy Schuler and Frank Proto voted against the resolution. Contact: Peter Penniman, Chair, Budget and Capital Committee, 387-3928, 387-5987.

LEGISLATURE RESTORES SOME FUNDING TO SPCA
In the 2003 County budget, funding to the Tompkins County SPCA was cut from $40,000 to $16,000. With dissent only from Thomas Todd, the Legislature agreed to boost the annual contract to $36,000 and to incorporate additional rabies control services. The additional funding is a combination of contingent funds, a Health Department contribution, and a small amount of state aid. Both Health Department and SPCA officials have argued that the loss of the SPCA’s services would increase the likelihood of rabies in cats and the need for post-exposure treatment for humans. Contact: Martha Robertson, Chair, Health & Human Service Committee; 272-0584.

BOARD WRANGLES OVER WAR STATEMENTS, AGREES ON SUPPORT OF TROOPS
Michael Koplinka-Loehr (D-Town of Ithaca) announced that he will extend the fast he began March 19 as a protest against the war in Iraq until the evening of April 2. He will then switch to a diet similar to that eaten by impoverished Iraqis, he said, and he also plans to leave his employment at Cornell University to put more time into action for changes at the state and federal levels of government. Following Koplinka-Loehr’s comments, Daniel Winch read a statement signed by the Legislature’s four Republican members disapproving of debate or expression of opinions on the war in the legislative chambers. Unanimity was achieved later in the meeting when all the legislators agreed to support a resolution put forward by Peter Penniman. The full text of the resolution is: “Resolved, that the Tompkins County Legislature supports our men and women in the armed forces; we thank them for their service and hope for their safe and swift return home.”
 
 

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