Welcome
Our County Legislature’s most important function is to allocate County resources in ways that meet the needs and values of our residents. Not surprisingly, when our needs are many and our resources are relatively few, our values tend to get short shrift.
Tompkins County now face increasingly scarce resources under a Federal government that shows little interest in our natural, social, and cultural environments, and a State government that sometimes seems determined to bankrupt our counties. We had to use 68% of last year’s county property tax levy to pay for unfunded mandates. Because of New York State’s “system” for funding Medicaid, we used fully 24% of last year’s property tax levy to pay for Medicaid services provided in Tompkins County. If Congressional Republicans succeed in implementing block grant funding for Medicaid, our county share of Medicaid funding could increase even more. What will we do then? We cannot increase property taxes by any substantial amount: our citizens are already burdened with very high property taxes, and that burden was effectively increased by the limitation on SALT deductions imposed by Federal tax legislation passed in 2017. At the same time, we cannot deny health care services to our residents who need them.
How we overcome the challenge of resource scarcity while maintaining the quality of life we all value will set our County’s course for years to come. I believe the key to meeting these challenges is to build a strong, sustainable, independent economy here in Tompkins County. That means not only increasing our tax base, but also using every means at our disposal to create jobs that pay a living wage or better, to promote our flagging retail sector, to underwrite construction of affordable and work force housing, and to expand public transit services throughout Tompkins County. When everyone in Tompkins County thrives, everyone contributes to growing county revenues.
We have a LOT of work to do!
Deborah’s recent Facebook posts are shared, below.
Deborah Dawson - TC Legislator for District 10
Thanks to Jessica Wickham, who did an excellent job of reporting on a complex issue with a LOT of moving parts.
www.tompkinsweekly.com/articles/countys-2022-budget-reflects-improved-economy/
County's 2022 budget reflects improved economy | Tompkins Weekly
www.tompkinsweekly.com
Last month saw many updates relating to the county's economy and budget. Interim County Administrator Lisa Holmes presented her recommended 2022 Tompkins County budget, totaling $194 million, to
Our economy is far from "out of the woods" from the pandemic.
www.cnn.com/2021/09/29/business/supply-chain-workers/index.html
The workers who keep global supply chains moving are warning of a 'system collapse'
www.cnn.com
Seafarers, truck drivers and airline workers have endured quarantines, travel restrictions and complex Covid-19 vaccination and testing requirements to keep stretched supply chains moving during the p...The article makes it sound like it’s not the economy, but travel restrictions that are causing the problem. Not sure there’s a solution for that other than sourcing more products as locally as possible and that will take time. At sea for more than a year with no hope for the land? Until governments lift restrictions, what fixes that?
This is great news for Tompkins County and everyone who enjoys Cayuga Lake. Many thanks to AM Anna Kelles and Senator Pam Helming, and everyone who worked so hard on the grassroots effort to save Bell Station. And thanks to Governor Hochul and NYSEG for listening to our concerns.
www.governor.ny.gov/news/during-climate-week-governor-hochul-announces-agreement-secure-future-pr...
www.governor.ny.gov
During Climate Week, Governor Hochul announced that upstate utility New York State Electric & Gas Corp. (NYSEG) has agreed to cancel an October 11 auction of 470 acres of undeveloped land with 3,400 f...
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If you're interested in supporting efforts to save the Bell Station property from sale to a private developer, check this out.
www.fllt.org/savebellstation
Urgent Action! Help Save the Largest Remaining Private Shoreline in the Finger Lakes
www.fllt.org
Dear Friends of the Finger Lakes, please get involved on this urgent action today! See “ACT NOW” below...