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
So, you may have seen an endorsement for Lea Webb in the Ithaca Voice. It was signed by several members, including leaders, of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee, and may have given you the impression that the Committee endorsed that candidate. In fact, a majority of the Committee voted NOT to endorse a candidate in our district's State Senate Primary. To set the record straight, some Committee members sent their own personal endorsement of Leslie Danks Burke to be our Democratic candidate in the State Senate race.
If you haven't already taken advantage of early voting, please remember to vote by Tuesday.
Letter to the Editor: Other TCDC members voice support for Leslie Danks Burke - The Ithaca Voice
ithacavoice.com
This is a letter to the editor written by members of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee supporting Leslie Danks Burke in the New York State Senate Democratic primary. It was not written by The I...Our abortion rights resolution was passed by the Tompkins County Legislature last night, by a vote of 11 to 3. The "dissenting" votes were cast by Republican Legislators Mike Sigler, Randy Brown, and Lee Shurtleff.
Ithaca, county work to protect abortion rights after Roe overturn - Tompkins Weekly
www.tompkinsweekly.com
We spoke with some of the local leaders behind the city’s and county’s work regarding reproductive health to discuss what’s being done and what's coming up.
A reminder that tonight is our first community information session to learn more about our microcredentials. Tonight’s meeting will be held via zoom from 5:30 – 7 p.m. so you can join from anywhere. To join go to us06web.zoom.us/j/88261729876?pwd=aE9qaUdVUjhpVGtQa24rU2IyRWc0UT09
There will be other information sessions held in-person around our community:
July 28 | Southside Community Center, Ithaca, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Aug. 2 | YWCA Cortland, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Aug. 4 | OAR (Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources), 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Aug. 10 | CAPCO, Cortland, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
A reminder that tonight is our first community information session to learn more about our microcredentials. Tonight’s meeting will be held via zoom from 5:30 – 7 p.m. so you can join from anywhere. To join go to us06web.zoom.us/j/88261729876?pwd=aE9qaUdVUjhpVGtQa24rU2IyRWc0UT09
There will be other information sessions held in-person around our community:
July 28 | Southside Community Center, Ithaca, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Aug. 2 | YWCA Cortland, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Aug. 4 | OAR (Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources), 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Aug. 10 | CAPCO, Cortland, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
If you want to see the cryptocurrency moratorium (S6486D) put to a vote on our State Senate floor, it's imperative that you contact the offices of Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Deputy Senate Majority Leader Gianaris and let them know that you want the Senate to vote on this important bill. Please call Senator Stewart-Cousins at 518-455-2715 or 518-455-2585. Please call Senator Gianaris at 518-455-3486. Thank you.
Cryptocurrency mining moratorium stalls in New York State Senate
www.politico.com
The measure's sponsor said the lack of action will undermine progress on the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the state’s landmark climate law that requires steep emissions reduction...