Local News for November 7, 2022

In what the Times Union is calling a “monetary arms race,” Super PAC spending has doubled in the last two weeks of New York’s gubernatorial election. The race between incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Lee Zeldin is polling closer than any in more than 20 years.  Most of Hochul’s gains have come from traditional campaign donations. On the other hand, Zeldin outside fundraising has remained unmatched including $15 million dollars-worth originating from one billionaire Ronald Lauder. According to the Times Union, the increasing difference in Super PAC donations has triggered a spike in independent spending for Hochul, who has racked up $50 million in total. Experts and watch-dog groups monitoring the race have predicted that this pattern of high, last second spending will become a norm in future competitive races. 

On Friday, Governor Hochul announced the opening of a 27 million dollar affordable housing development in Ithaca. Named Founders Way, the project was funded by numerous state and local agencies, and developed locally by Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services. According to the Ithaca Times, it was designed to serve families and people living with a wide range of income levels, from 30 percent to 100 percent of the Area Median Income. The completed project consists of four renovated buildings of the former Immaculate Conception School, including 75 apartments and commercial space for nonprofit organizations. 

The Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response is encouraging residents to sign up for a new mass notification system before the new year. The system, Tompkins Siren, replaces the previous system, Swift911. Users who had been signed up for Swift911 were automatically added to Tompkins Siren but alerts may be discontinued if users fail to sign up for the new service by January 1. The notification system is used by local authorities to alert residents of emergency situations like severe weather, natural disasters, and traffic accidents. You can sign up at tompkinscountyny.gov/SIREN