Tompkins County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tompkins County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
2026 Workplace Climate Survey
The employee climate survey was budgeted for 2026 but slipped to 2027, and members pressed to confirm the money didn't quietly disappear in the 2027 budget process. Administration indicated the funding is secure, and the CEDO will follow up with the County Administrator.
Comprehensive Paid Caregiver Leave Policy
The committee took the first formal step toward a 12-week fully paid caregiver leave policy for county workers, based on a proposal from the employee-led JEDI team. Staff will now draft the final policy, weighing costs like backfill and overtime, with union considerations in play. County employees — especially new and expecting parents — have the most at stake.
Vehicle Use Tax as EMS Funding Mechanism
Chair Travis Brooks is exploring raising the county vehicle use tax to bankroll a countywide EMS program. The county attorney confirmed it's legally possible through the home rule process and the money can be used for any county purpose — but no amount has been proposed yet.
Vehicle Use Tax Discussion
Chair Brooks has been pushing a higher vehicle use tax to bankroll a countywide EMS program. The county attorney confirmed it's legally possible through the home rule process, and staff will now benchmark rates against other counties and estimate how much money it could raise.
Department head input on Charter review
Department heads will be asked to review the charter sections governing their departments and submit corrections or suggestions — all at once by late November, rather than piecemeal — so the committee can spot overlaps across departments.
Legislature mission statement and fiscal responsibility language
The Charter's mission statement says county activities happen "within the limits of what residents financially support." Members are debating whether that should say what residents can afford, reference the strategic operations plan, or require a new plan every five years — language that shapes how the county frames taxes and spending for decades.
Consolidation of county finance systems
Chair Dawson wants a bottom-up working group — including department finance staff — rather than a top-down push to centralize county finance. Members debated whether to buy software or build it in-house, with Weiser warning about cybersecurity and maintenance costs.
Retiree Health Insurance Split-Plan Discontinuation
Ten retirees under 65 saw their split insurance plans converted to pricier family coverage; the county will cover the roughly $79,000 difference for 2026 only.
Legal notice publication and the designated newspaper
The Public Information Advisory Board warned the county is near a 'news desert' as the Ithaca Journal has collapsed, and legislators discussed publishing legal notices in more widely read outlets like the Ithaca Voice — which could require budget money and possibly a state law change.
Payment process problems for county-funded agencies
The History Center report is the first in a new pilot requiring county-funded agencies to report services, spending, and people served. Members want clearer data and flagged that tenants in the county-owned building pay below-market rent locked in until 2030.
Commercial property assessment accuracy
Because the annual reassessment program was paused, the county filed the 2026 roll at a 95% level of assessment — only about 1,000 change notices went out instead of 26,000, and only physical property changes were valued.
Senior and Disability Property Tax Exemption Increase
The county wants to raise income limits so more seniors and disabled residents qualify for property tax exemptions. The committee picked a middle option ($40,400 at the 50% level) over the more generous $50,000 scale; the median homeowner would pay about $1.80–$3 more per year to cover it. The full Legislature debates it after an October 20 public hearing.
Room tax delinquencies
The county attorney reported one large room tax delinquency — a lawsuit against the operator of Ithiganic Falls seeking about $194,129 — and the county has removed the business from the tourism bureau directory.
County Budget Process Update
The county budget is moving fast: departments have presented, a public forum happens October 1, and legislators vote on amendments starting October 5. Residents who want to influence the budget should show up Thursday or contact their legislator now — after October 27, it's basically a done deal.
Highway Department Winter Operations Budget
The highway department is already $70,000 short on its salt budget with winter approaching, and fuel prices keep climbing. If it's a rough winter, they'll have to tap the contingent fund again.
2026 Capital Projects
The committee was set to discuss the county's 2026 capital projects — the building and infrastructure work planned for the year. These projects affect roads, facilities and services residents rely on.
Rising road salt and fuel costs
The Highway Department is about $70,000 short on its salt budget with winter approaching, and diesel is running around $5.60 a gallon. A harsh winter could force a dip into the contingent fund, as happened with fuel earlier this year.
Unbroken Promises Initiative partnership proposal
Jordan Clemmons pitched the county on a stabilization initiative where UPI would help identify and win competitive state and federal grants, citing its role in the city's $10 million DRI win. The committee will explore next steps with the county administrator.
Centralized county finance initiative
Chair Dawson wants a bottom-up working group — including department finance staff — rather than a top-down push to centralize county finance. Members debated whether to buy software or build it in-house, with Weiser warning about cybersecurity and maintenance costs.
Finance Department leadership and operations
The county is still without a permanent Finance Director, and members discussed centralizing Finance Department operations. The HR commissioner also flagged work on performance evaluation software.
Highway Department fuel budget shortfall
Diesel and gas prices have blown through the Highway Department's fuel budget — 83.7% spent by early July when it should have been around 60%. The committee recommended $100,000 from contingency, with another request expected in November.
Employee Performance Evaluation Policy Review
HR looked at two vendors for performance review software. NeoGov was too pricey at $45,000; UKG would run about $1,900 a year plus a $2,500-$7,000 setup fee, but the county first needs to define its competencies and workflow.
Foreclosure Property Sales and Loss Recovery
The county sold 16 foreclosed parcels at auction and will execute quitclaim deeds. One small Ithaca parcel sold for so little the county took a loss, and the county attorney said there's no direct way to recover it from the former owner — an Albany problem, members agreed.
Property assessment and tax administration
State officials explained how the homestead option could keep residential property from absorbing a growing share of county taxes after the planned 2029 reassessment. No action was taken this year, but the committee may look at it more seriously next year.
State In Rem Foreclosure Law Reform
The county sold 16 foreclosed parcels at auction and will execute quitclaim deeds. One small Ithaca parcel sold for so little the county took a loss, and the county attorney said there's no direct way to recover it from the former owner — an Albany problem, members agreed.
Homestead Tax Option evaluation
State officials explained how the homestead option could keep residential property from absorbing a growing share of county taxes after the planned 2029 reassessment. No action was taken this year, but the committee may look at it more seriously next year.
Homestead Tax Option (RPTL 1903)
State officials explained how the homestead option could keep residential property from absorbing a growing share of county taxes after the planned 2029 reassessment. No action was taken this year, but the committee may look at it more seriously next year.
Workforce wellness survey and employee engagement
The last employee climate survey was eight years ago; a third-party consultant has reportedly been engaged for a new one. Members want to catch up on the 2018 survey results, learn the current survey's status, and ensure results actually drive change — noting turnover costs the county roughly $13,000 per employee.
Travel and training budget concerns
CEDO Leon Holden warned his $4,000 professional development budget limits attendance at the Facing Race conference to seven people and blocks bringing a $10,000 'Factuality' training to the county. Members discussed whether travel and training budgets should be increased.
Employee training requirements — time, cost, and frequency
Legislators are pushing back on the volume of mandatory online training for the county's roughly 800 employees. Most trainings are state-mandated annually, but the county controls a few (diversity, social media), and the training team will look at a 'less is more' approach and report back.
Relocation of Workforce Development and Assigned Counsel to Seneca Place
Two county departments will move from the Center of Ithaca into modern office space at Seneca Place under a 10-year lease (with a 7-year exit), sharing space and costs with the state Department of Labor.
County Medicaid Cap and Federal H.R.1 Cost Shifts
Federal changes under H.R.1 could shift hundreds of millions in SNAP and Medicaid costs onto New York counties, threatening county property taxes. The committee recommended urging the state to preserve the Medicaid cap and fund the new mandates.
2026 Assessment Roll and Equalization Rates for 2027 Taxes
The county fixed assessments this year and adopted a 95% equalization rate, meaning any change in next year's tax bills comes from the tax levy, not assessments. About $5.7 billion of property in the City of Ithaca and Town of Ithaca is tax-exempt, a persistent concern.
Potential real estate transaction
The Legislature met privately to discuss a potential real estate deal — the county hasn't said what property is involved. Public discussion could affect the price, so state law allows it behind closed doors. Any eventual purchase, sale or lease would need to come back to the full Legislature in public.
June 2026 Sales Tax Revenue
June sales tax dipped about 4.5% from last June, but the county is still slightly ahead of last year and roughly on budget halfway through 2026. An interesting shift: sales inside the city jumped 8% while outside-city sales fell 15%, possibly due to better delivery-sale reporting.
Growing Burden of FOIL Requests
The County Attorney warned that FOIL requests are ballooning in breadth — partly because people use AI to generate sweeping litigation-style requests — crowding out other legal work. State law gives the county little room to limit them, though AI search tools may eventually help.
Federal Investment in Housing and Infrastructure
Legislators heard a stark warning: the waiting list is frozen, vouchers aren't being reissued when people leave the program, and over a thousand local households could lose support if the federal program is dismantled. The county is starting to plan for what happens next.
DMV Lease Renewal at Hancock Plaza
The county DMV stays at Hancock Plaza on Third Street in Ithaca through 2031, with no rent increase for the first three years. That keeps a convenient DMV location for residents.
Medicaid changes under HR 1
Up to a million New Yorkers could lose Medicaid coverage under new federal work and enrollment requirements. A July 28 regional planning event aims to get counties ready, modeled on the county's SNAP response.
Enfield Falls Road parcel spared from foreclosure
The county will not foreclose on a Town of Enfield parcel this year and will keep talking with NY State Parks and the Finger Lakes Land Trust about its future, while covering about $311 in taxes owed to the town and school.
Ithaca College bond refunding approval
The county, as a federal tax-law formality, is asked to approve TCDC's issuance of up to $35 million in refunding bonds for Ithaca College. The county has zero liability — the debt is entirely the college's.
Access to county funding for small nonprofits
Legislator Irene Weiser flagged that smaller nonprofits serving diverse communities struggle to navigate county funding applications, with budget season approaching. The committee discussed using the Office of Human Rights as a coordinating hub.
Self-Insurance of the Newfield Covered Bridge
The county's insurer dropped the historic Newfield Covered Bridge, and the only replacement quote was $52,785 a year — 17 times the old premium. The committee recommended self-insuring the $2.2 million bridge but wants a condition inspection and more detail on what else the county self-insures before the full Legislature votes.
Whole Health Electronic Health Record Request
Whole Health will bring a budget request for a new electronic health record system to the July meeting and wants committee feedback before it goes to other committees.
County Software Spending and AI Use
Legislator Mezey raised whether the county's stance on data centers conflicts with its own use of cloud services and AI, noting Dryden's restrictive posture. IT Director Cottrell said the county is at 'the tip of the iceberg' on AI use, and Legislator Weiser urged caution about untrustworthy AI outcomes.
Local vs. Amazon Purchasing
The county increasingly buys supplies through Amazon, and Hubbard wants more dollars staying with local businesses. Staff will produce a list of vendors so the committee can spot bulk purchases worth shifting to local suppliers.
Equitable Access to County Services
Social Services, Whole Health, and Veterans Services laid out their 2026 priorities — including expanded dental care, refocusing services outward to constituents, and addressing staff burnout.
Cannabis Sales Tax Distribution Delays
State agencies aren't accurately attributing cannabis sales tax to the right dispensaries, making it hard for counties to distribute the local 3% share to the correct municipalities on time.
City/County Sales Tax Distribution Agreement Adjustment
City of Ithaca sales tax collections fell 2.37% in 2025, triggering a $1.02 million budget adjustment under the decades-old distribution agreement. A Sales Tax Working Group is reviewing the 1993 agreement and found discrepancies, including library funds the city was behind on paying.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Funding
CCE Tompkins took a $36,000 county funding cut and is draining its fund balance to stay afloat. Leaders explained that every $1,000 of county funding leverages about $7,500 in grants, and they're asking the county to restore funding to prior levels during budget season.