Headlines

Close Tompkins County Primaries May Be Decided By Manual Recount Earlier this week, we reported the close margins in some Ithaca Common Council races. Some of them plus the Danby Town Clerk election may require manual recounts. The Ithaca Voice reports Ward 5 and Ward 3 in Ithaca had margins of less than 10 votes.…

– New York To Get $670 Million Federal Funding To Expand Broadband Access – New York has received $670 million in federal funding to expand broadband access. The money comes from a $42 billion federal program that provides broadband funding nationwide. Senator Chuck Schumer says the money will help rural upstate communities and other underserved…

– Cortland County Will Not Give Solar Projects Tax-Exemption – The Cortland County Legislature voted 12-5 to opt out of a state tax exemption for solar projects. Developers can still negotiate Payment In Lieu of Taxes or PILOT agreements with the county’s IDA, the Industrial Development Agency. The Cortland Voice reports the legislature made the…

– Town of Caroline Board Member Resigns – A member of the Caroline Town Board has resigned. Katherine Goldberg announced her departure earlier this month. She held a two-year seat that began in January. The town is looking for someone to temporarily fill her position until the end of the year. Goldberg’s resignation came too…

– Cortland School Budget Passes On Second Vote – The Cortland City School District budget was approved with 67% of votes on Tuesday. The Cortland Voice reports the first budget for $54 million was voted down in May making the revote necessary. The new budget is $53 million. It is unofficial until the school board…

– Tompkins County Board Of Elections Asks Residents To Choose 2023 “I Voted” Sticker – Tompkins County residents can now vote for the 2023 “I Voted” sticker. The county Board of Elections launched a contest for high school students to create new sticker earlier this year. The winning design will be available at this November’s…

Opposition to rate hikes proposed by New York State Electric & Gas, NYSEG, is growing. A group led by Assemblyperson Anna Kelles gathered in Ithaca last week to speak out against them. Kelles stood with local lawmakers and residents Thursday on the steps of the Tompkins County Legislature. She says the power company’s claims that…