| COUNTY BOARD CHANGES NAME
A measure to change the name of the Tompkins County Board of Representatives to Tompkins County Legislature passed by a vote of 13-1 (Rep. Dan Winch voted no; Rep. Dooley Kiefer was absent). The resolution declares the intent of the Board to change the name and will require a charter amendment. The County Charter & Code is under review and it is expected that the name change will occur when other amendments are approved. Contact: Michael Lane, Chair, Charter & Review Committee, 844-8440. BROOKTONDALE BRIDGE PROJECT COSTS MORE THAN ANTICIPATED The Board voted 11-3 (Reps. Richard Booth, Peter Penniman, and George Totman voted no: Rep. Dooley Kiefer was absent) to increase the local funding for repair of the long-closed Lounsbery Road bridge in Brooktondale. The local funds - increased from $45,000 to $87,339 - leverage over $1 million in state and federal aid. An award of bid for construction was issued to Economy Paving, Inc. of Cortland. Contact: Barbara Blanchard, Chair, Public Works Committee, 277-1374. QUALIFIED SENIORS RELIEVED OF ANNUAL RENEWAL OF TAX EXEMPTION Homeowners who are eligible for a senior citizen real property tax exemption may apply for automatic renewal after five years, according to a law the Board passed with unanimous consent (14-0; Rep. Dooley Kiefer was absent). The new law allows seniors who have renewed their exemption for five years in a row to sign an affidavit stating their continued eligibility for the reduction in taxes. The need to renew the exemption annually has caused some elderly people to miss the deadline and pay more taxes than they need to. The problem tends to increase as people age and/or their support network dwindles. The new law will protect the elderly whose financial situations change very little from year to year. Contact: Assessment Director Valeria Coggin, 274-5517. Highlight
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