| VOTES LACKING FOR REMOVAL OF LOCAL
PORTION OF SALES TAX ON CLOTHING With 14 members present, the Legislature deadlocked on a last-minute vote to join New York State in a permanent removal of sales tax from shoes and clothing costing up to $110 per purchase. The 7 to 7 vote was insufficient to remove the local portion of sales tax, an option offered by the state to all counties. The state's portion of the sales tax on clothing and shoes up to $110 is scheduled to be removed on June 1, although changes in the state budget may alter that schedule. City of Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson told the Legislature before its vote that removal of the sales tax would cost the City up to $200,000 annually and that the revenue would have to be made up in other ways. Finance Director David Squires said that the County would lose about $700,000 a year in revenue, but that when the exemption was previously in place, an overall increase in sales tax more than made up the difference. Contact: Tim Joseph, Chair of the Legislature, 277-2519. COUNTY FOCUSES RENEWED EFFORTS ON WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Tim Joseph, Chair of the County Legislature, delivered a statement in which he emphasized the County's dedication and commitment to being a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming workplace. Joseph mentioned an incident in which one County employee used racially abusive and threatening language directed at another County employee. Joseph said the Legislature has been assured that actions have been taken to address such incidents, and that initiatives are also under way to assure that all County employees feel safe and welcome in the workplace. Joseph said the County has placed a high priority on renewed efforts to examine its diversity and Affirmative Action plans and its recruitment and hiring activities. A new advisory group, chaired by Legislator Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, has been assembled and met for the first time last week. The group, called the Workforce Inclusion and Diversity Committee, includes County staff, Legislators, and a number of community and higher-education professionals with expertise in building and maintaining workforce diversity. The committee has been asked to guide the County in the development and implementation of a plan to increase and maintain diversity and inclusion among its workforce. An internal team has also been formed to assure effective communication and implementation of the plan. Contacts: Tim Joseph, Chair of the Legislature, 277-2519; Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chair, Workforce Inclusion and Diversity Committee, 277-5104. COUNTY LAUNCES ENERGY EFFICIENCY PLAN The Legislature unanimously approved a contract with Johnson Controls, Inc. for a variety of measures to reduce energy consumption in County buildings. The County pledged in 2002 to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases generated by County operations by 20 percent by 2008, compared to the base year of 1998. The energy efficiency measures and projects in the contract will reduce energy consumption and costs, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The cost of the $2.26 million contract, which covers energy-saving improvements in all County facilities, will be equaled by energy savings over the term of the contract. Contact: Peter Penniman, Chair, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee, 387-3928. |