COUNTY WANTS STATE TO HELP SOLVE TAX-EXEMPTION INEQUITIES

The Board of Representatives has sent two messages to Albany, via resolutions passed unanimously (12-0; Chairman Barbara Mink and Reps. George Totman and Dan Winch were absent) at Tuesday night’s meeting. The resolutions, authored by Rep. Peter Penniman, seek solutions to uneven tax burdens in Tompkins and other counties that host large tax-exempt institutions. Penniman pointed out that one reason local property tax rates have outstripped inflation in recent years is that this County is home to a significant number of tax-exempt institutions – putting more tax burden on residents to maintain services and infrastructure. In the first resolution passed, the County Board urges the State legislature to put together a program of payments to compensate local governments and school districts for tax revenue that cannot be collected from tax-exempt properties. In a second resolution, the Board states that businesses run by tax-exempt institutions – such as stores, restaurants or fitness centers operated as competitive businesses by colleges and universities – should be taxable by local school districts and governments. Media contact: Rep. Peter Penniman, 387-5897.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY PROJECT ACCEPTED

By a unanimous vote (12-0; Chairman Barbara Mink and Reps. George Totman and Dan Winch were absent), the Board passed a resolution that accepts an Economic Development Strategy Project assembled by Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD). The report, the result of more than two years’ work, will be used as a guide for future public and private economic development activities. The Strategy Project lists three primary goals: to build the economic foundation of the county, to create more business and employment opportunities, and to reflect community values in economic development plans. The top ten recommendations of the Strategy Project include:

• work with public schools on ways to meet employers’ entry-level employment needs

• do more to support and retain high-tech businesses in the County
• improve air service at the County airport

• provide integrated water and sewer systems to urbanized and growing areas of the County

• develop ways to evaluate costs and benefits of economic development projects

CRIME PREVENTION COMMITTEE RELEASES "WHAT WORKS" REPORT

Rep. Tim Joseph, chair of the Crime Prevention Subcommittee of the Criminal Justice Advisory Board, announced that the committee’s final report, titled "What Works in Crime Prevention," has been released. Subcommittee members include District Attorney George Dentes, Ithaca Police Chief Rick Basile, and Judge John Sherman. The group gathered and studied research on crime prevention programs locally and nationally. Some points in the report, based on research studied by the "What Works committee, are:
 

• Repeated and supportive home visits to families appear to have the greatest crime prevention effect.

• Education alone is insufficient. Classroom programs like D.A.R.E., while helping students feel more comfortable about police, have not been shown to prevent future drug use or crime. Likewise, persuasion techniques, such as "Scared Straight," don’t work either. Behavior modification does work. Solutions tailored to suit individual schools also have a high success rate.

• Neighborhood or community policing works if it is intensively applied, is personal, and is respectful of residents. Community involvement in crime reduction, such as reporting on drug houses, is also effective.

It is anticipated that this report will generate extended discussion and possibly some long-term policy changes. Joseph plans to take it to school boards, for instance, to inspire them to approach crime prevention in some new ways. Copies of the report are available at the County Administrator’s office, 125 E. Court Street. Media contact: Rep. Tim Joseph, 277-2519.

BUDGET COMMITTEE SPLIT ON TOBACCO MONEY

Rep. Tim Joseph, chair of the Budget and Quality Planning Committee, reported that the committee is split on opinions of how to handle Tompkins County’s share of expected tobacco company settlement funds, which may start arriving in the year 2000. Some committee member felt that a significant portion of the funds should be used for health-related programs; other felt the funds should be considered general revenue to be used for any purpose. Therefore, stated Joseph, the committee is not issuing a recommendation but will turn the matter over to the entire Board for future discussion.

According to Deputy County Attorney Jonathan Wood, Tompkins County could receive tobacco settlement money in the following estimated amounts:

By a unanimous vote (12-0; Chairman Barbara Mink and Reps. George Totman and Dan Winch were absent), the Board adopted the 1999-2000 budget for Tompkins Cortland Community College. The operating budget for TC-3 for the year will be $15,930,000. The capital budget is set at $225,630.