Trouble spots coming up in 2003 include nearly $1 million in contractual payroll increases and another $1 million to continue Alternatives to Incarceration and other new programs. Several capital projects, such as the County’s proposed public safety communications project and necessary building repairs, will be vying for funding as well. Without spending cuts, legislators would have to raise the local property tax by over 30 percent, a rate that all agree is impossibly high. 

Besides the budget cuts, which are still in the “what if” scenario stage, the County is considering austerity measures such as limitations on purchases, Board approval of any promotions or hiring, and banning use of overtime except for public safety and emergency workers. 

Board Chair Tim Joseph noted that the County has a commitment to the well-being of its employees and that part of the reason for talking about budget cutbacks now is to allow attrition, rather than layoffs, to reduce the workforce. Joseph said that if jobs must be eliminated, all possible effort would be made to retrain and transfer displaced workers to other County positions. 

The total County budget for 2002 is $103.9 million. Of that total, $50.7 million is raised through local revenue sources, mainly sales and property tax. The only portion of the revenue “pie” that can be significantly increased is the part that depends on real property tax – about $30 million in the 2002 budget. Contacts: Peter Penniman, Budget Committee Chair, 387-5897; County Administrator Stephen Whicher, 274-5551.

BOARD APPROVES NEW SITE FOR DISPATCH CENTER
The Board gave unanimous approval to moving the site for the County’s proposed new 911 dispatch center from South Hill to Lansing. The new site is on Brown Road near the Ithaca- Tompkins Regional Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration has given preliminary approval for use of the land, which the County owns, said Barbara Blanchard, chair of the Communications Capital Projects (ComCap) Committee. County Administrator Steve Whicher said the measure will save the County up to $1 million in construction and site preparation costs over the original site next to Ithaca City Fire Station # 5 on Route 96B South. The new site will allow for a more versatile, economically feasible building. Dispatchers for the 911 emergency call center currently work in very cramped, temporary quarters at the Ithaca Fire Department’s Central Fire Station on Green Street. In a related measure, the Board approved $5,000 to proceed with a project to improve the paging system used by emergency workers countywide. Contacts: Barbara Blanchard, ComCap Committee Chair, 277- 1374.

BOARD SUPPORTS ELLIS HOLLOW SPEED LIMIT
By a vote of 14 to 1 (Rep. Daniel Winch voted no), the Board approved a resolution of support for a speed limit reduction to 40 mph on several roads in the Town of Dryden, echoing an appeal made to the state Department of Conservation by the Dryden Town Board in January. The roads, which run through the Ellis Hollow community, are: Ellis Hollow Road, Ellis Hollow Creek Road, Genung Road, and Turkey Hill Road. Current limits on the roads range from 40 to 55 mph. Contact: Barbara Blanchard, Public Works Committee Chair, 277-1374.

HEARING SET FOR DEFINITION OF A B&B
A hearing on a local law that determines, for room occupancy tax purposes, that a B&B in Tompkins County is owner- operated and has no more than ten rooms was set for 5:30 p.m., April 16 at the County Courthouse. Establishments that match the definition will be exempt from a recent increase in room tax from 3 to 5 percent.
 

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