ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature today advocated strongly for the elimination of a budget proposal backed by Governor Kathy Hochul that would cost local governments more than $625 million in the coming state fiscal year, and billions in subsequent years.
The proposal would end the longstanding practice of sharing federal Medicaid savings provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with counties and New York City. This funding, known as eFMAP, has been critical to counties’ ability to hold property taxes in check by limiting the local financial burden of Medicaid.
“At a time when our residents are paying more for housing, food, and fuel, Gov. Hochul’s proposal will make living in this state even less affordable,” said Orleans County Chairman Lynne Johnson. “This action would strip $1,059,034 in revenue from the Orleans County budget, which will end up coming out of residents’ pockets in the form of increased property taxes or cuts to vital county services like public safety and road maintenance.”
According to the Governor’s budget materials, this proposal would shift $625 million in Medicaid costs onto local taxpayers in its first year, and the minimum four-year cost to local taxpayers is calculated at between $2.5 billion and $2.9 billion. The New York State Association of Counties estimates that by state fiscal year 2027, the fourth year of this proposal, that state cost shift from this single initiative will be equivalent to an average property tax increase of 7 percent statewide and as high as 14 percent in some counties. To make matters worse, the State is also proposing to permanently keep six years of eFMAP funds, exceeding $1 billion worth of federal assistance owed to counties from unreconciled reimbursements.
“We are concerned that this proposal undermines Congressional intent. New York’s Congressional Delegation, led by Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, fought hard to ensure that local taxpayers wouldn’t bear the burden of expanding Medicaid by specifically designating this funding for counties,” Johnson said. “This proposal reverses the state’s twenty-year practice of sharing these funds with counties and it’s unnecessary. Gov. Hochul must remove this disastrous proposal from her budget and work with counties to reach a compromise that does no harm to counties and maintains the cap on local contributions to Medicaid.”
Photos courtesy of Marie Gabalski: Sarah Martin, a nutritionist with SNAP, demonstrates how to make tacos at the first Stone Soup classes at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The program was funded by a $250,000 grant from Highmark.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 28 February 2023 at 1:08 pm
Sarah Martin (left), SNAP nutritionist, and Marie Gabalski, nutrition program coordinator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, clown around during a break in the first series of Stone Soup.
KNOWLESVILLE – A new program funded by a Highmark grant of $250,000 is teaching families with limited incomes how to eat healthy on a budget.
The grant was an idea developed at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee with assistance from Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Called Stone Soup, the first six-week classes at Cornell Cooperative Extension on the fairgrounds just ended with 21 graduates, said Cooperative Extension nutrition coordinator Marie Gabalski.
Each week, participants in the classes learned something different, such as food groups, fiber, fats and carbs, how to read food labels, fruits and vegetables and how to shop affordably, Gabalski said.
“We try to make it fun,” she said. “Twenty-six people registered for the first series of classes and 21 graduated. Classes for March and May are already full.”
Participants who attended all six classes and graduation received a kitchen kit which included a skillet, utensils, hot plate and an Instapot.
Many positive comments were received on the classes. One lady said, “I enjoyed learning how to pair healthy ingredients into a meal and knowing what and how to choose.”
Another commented, “What was important to me was being talked to and not ‘at.’The information was easy to understand.”
Yet another said she enjoyed learning about nutrition and healthy options. “I didn’t know the difference in types of fat before,” she said.
During July, the nutritionists are planning a similar program with school children. Registration for May classes is being prioritized for those who attend the meal program at Community Action’s center in Holley. Others will be placed on a waiting list for the Stone Soup program in the fall.
While Stone Soup was developed with low-income families in mind, there is no income requirement and anyone who wishes to sign up may contact Gabalski at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, (585) 798-4265.
Marie Gabalski, nutrition coordinator at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, hands out certificate of completion to Rosemary Fisher and Beth Williams.
Members of the first graduating class of Stone Soup at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension get their free gifts, including an Instapot, hot plate and utensils. Marie Gabalski, Cooperative Extension nutritionist, left, hands out kits to Jane Read, Janine Parker, right, and Alicia Dingman, rear.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Scott Buffin, left, is the county’s new deputy emergency management coordinator, taking over for the position from Justin Niederhofer, who has been promoted to emergency management director. They are shown at the emergency management office at 14064 West Countyhouse Rd.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2023 at 1:18 pm
ALBION – The Orleans County Emergency Management Office has a new director and deputy director to help the county prepare and respond to disasters and other emergencies.
Justin Niederhofer, the former deputy, took over as director on Nov. 17, succeeding the retiring Dale Banker.
Scott Buffin started on Jan. 23 as the new deputy director.
Niederhofer, 42, started as deputy director on April 15, 2020, in the early throes of the Covid-19 pandemic. He managed the delivery of sanitizer, masks and other PPE to municipalities and frontline workers. He also teamed with the Health Department in setting up and running testing and vaccine sites. He and Banker also helped a task force facilitate discussions on local EMS services.
Justin Niederhofer, in red turnout gear, pulls a basketball backboard and hoop from a garage so firefighters could get water in the upper part of the structure on Goodrich Street in Albion. This fire was on Jan. 10, 2022. Niederhofer served as Carlton fire chief from 2019 and 2021 and often responded to calls throughout the county when he was the deputy emergency management coordinator.
Niederhofer is a 20-year veteran of the Air Force. He was working for the U.S. Department of Defense, leading a team of 10 in overseeing manufacturers with Defense contracts when he took the job with the county about three years ago.
“I want to make the community a better and safer place,” he said.
Niederhofer served as Carlton fire chief in 2019 and 2020 and remains an active responder.
Buffin, 42, is a former Lyndonville fire chief who most recently was working with Mercy Flight in Batavia as a paramedic supervisor. Buffin has been a volunteer firefighter since 19.
Both agree that a declining number of active volunteer firefighters is becoming a critical issue. Buffin sought out becoming a volunteer firefighter and a basic EMT soon after high school. He remembered when a firefighter addressed his Boy Scout troop and that message of service to the community stuck with him.
He urges people to try volunteering with their fire department, even if it’s in an administrative role and they don’t want to go to fire scenes or car accidents.
“There is no magic bullet to recruit and retain these volunteers,” Buffin said.
Scott Buffin, right, and fire investigator Cole Hardenbrook head to the scene of a mobile home on fire on Allis Road on Feb. 14. The county has a team of five fire investigators.
There are currently about 300 active firefighters in the county. That may only be about a third of number from even a generation ago. Fire departments increasing are relying on neighboring departments for mutual aid to battle fires.
Niederhofer said he is encouraged by state legislation that would provide some tax incentives for volunteer firefighters. But he knows that ultimately people are feeling time- and money-crunched and don’t feel they can make a big commitment as a volunteer firefighter.
He asks people to keep an open mind, even if they don’t come from a firefighting family, to see how they could contribute to their local fire department.
“There is a job for everyone,” he said. “It could be administrative or providing support on the ground.”
The emergency management office was a big part of the task force looking at EMS services locally. The group of local officials, fire chiefs and ambulance service providers in the county met several times in 2022 as part of an EMS Task Force.
The volunteer ambulances are now all gone in the county, following the dissolution of the Kendall Fire Department Ambulance on Dec. 31, 2022. COVA also ended in Albion with Mercy Flight now running those ambulances.
Monroe Ambulance will begin service as the primary ambulance provider on April 16 in central Orleans County. Monroe is committing to keeping two ambulances in central and eastern Orleans.
Mercy Flight also is intending to keep one ambulance in Albion 24-7 and a second from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during a transition year. The seven towns in central and eastern Orleans are expected to discuss a longer-term contract later this year for ambulance services.
Niederhofer said he expects there will be a task force in the near future about the shrinking pool of available firefighters. He doesn’t want to wait until it’s an absolute crisis before looking at solutions to ensure there are enough responders in the community.
Scott Buffin, left, and Justin Niederhofer both have many years of service as local first responders. In back is a fire training tower at left and the former civil defense center which is the emergency management office.
The emergency management office also oversees a team of fire investigators, facilitates training classes for firefighters, and works with fire departments to best utilize equipment and specialized teams, including a rope rescue team for responses in quarries, ravines along the Oak Orchard River and local creeks, and steep embankments at state parks.
The office also helps manage the emergency communications system and recently added the new responsibility of cybersecurity for assisting municipalities that could be vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The office will help the municipalities with computer security as part of continuum of operation plans.
“There is never anything that comes off of our plant,” Niederhofer said. “More gets added.”
The county also is looking to upgrade the emergency management office, which is in a bunker-style civil defense center built in 1962. That building on West Countyhouse Road has the backup dispatch for the county in case the 911 consoles are out of commission at the public safety building.
Niederhofer and Buffin also need to be ready to respond to any disaster or emergency. In 2017 and 2019, for example, the high Lake Ontario levels was a long state of emergency and the emergency management office worked to secure sandbags, Agua-Dams and fortified breakwalls for property owners.
The Covid pandemic has been another long response. The EMO continues to secure Covid test kits and distribute them to municipalities.
“Covid is still here,” Niederhofer said. “We’re still dealing with it, but the impacts aren’t as severe.”
Other emergencies are short-term and could include helping to secure housing for residents whose homes were damaged in a fire. The EMO will reach out to the Red Cross for assistance.
The emergency management office also will team with the local Department of Health and Red Cross in setting up emergency shelters if there are extended power outages, such as during the blizzard near Christmas.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2023 at 5:13 pm
Photo courtesy of Orleans County Sheriff’s Office: The driver of this truck was stranded for nearly 15 hours in the vehicle on Salt Works Road in Shelby before being transported to safety on Dec. 24.
ALBION – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced today she is seeking a major disaster declaration from President Joe Biden for three Western New York counties to reimburse localities for snow removal efforts and other costs during the Christmas blizzard.
The two-day blizzard hit on Dec. 23 but the recovery lasted six days for some hard-hit communities, such as the City of Buffalo. Hochul is seeking federal aid for Erie, Genesee and Niagara counties, as well as St. Lawrence and Suffolk.
Orleans County isn’t included in the declaration.
“We have contacted our federal representative in an attempt to remedy this situation,” said Jack Welch, the Orleans County chief administrative officer. “However, right now we are on the outside looking in.”
Hochul said she is seeking to reimburse those five counties for their snow removal and storm response expenses. The governor is also requesting direct funding to cover funeral expenses and crisis counseling for residents of Erie and Niagara counties. The blizzard took the lives of 46 residents in Erie County and one in Niagara. No one from Orleans died from the blizzard.
The fierce winds left more than 5,000 National Grid customers in Orleans without electricity for extended periods during the frigid cold.
County officials also declared a state of emergency and travel ban due to the blizzard conditions with punishing winds, icy roads and whiteout conditions.
About 75 people spent Christmas Eve at shelters in the Albion and Medina schools. Some of those people were stranded and brought to the shelters by firefighters and Sheriff’s deputies.
The Orleans County Emergency Management Office has calculated the total municipal costs from the storm at $179,123.
The county can count municipal overtime and the costs of running the shelters, but not for snow removal for the streets. However, snow plowing can be included when used to keep open the shelters, the Emergency Management Office and Public Safety Building, said Justin Niederhofer, the county’s emergency management director.
Some of the damaged property was covered by insurance, Niederhofer said.
Hochul said federal aid will help the five counties recoup some expenses from a once-in-a-generation storm. She said the major disaster declaration secures federal aid for local governments and eligible non-profits for debris removal, protective measures, and repairs to buildings and infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water and wastewater treatment facilities, critical infrastructure sites, schools, parks and other facilities.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Employees with Environmental Enterprises in Cincinnati collect household hazardous waste from Orleans County on Aug. 13. Many of the fluids were emptied into large drums to be hauled away.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2023 at 8:54 am
ALBION – Orleans County will offer a household hazardous waste collection day on Aug. 12. Many of the details are being worked out, but paint – oil-based, latex and water-based – won’t be accepted.
Unused paint should be taken to Sherwyn-Williams stores through a state-funded program. (The closest Sherwyn-Williams paint disposal sites in Orleans County are the Sherwin-Williams stores in Brockport and in Batavia. Evans Ace Hardware in Medina also participates in the program.)
The county typically pays Environmental Enterprises, Inc. of Cincinnati about $18,000 to collect and remove the household hazardous waste, with the state them reimbursing the county about half of the costs.
The event is held in several stations at the Orleans County DPW on West Academy Street. The collection allows residents to dispose of tires (up to 10), propane tanks, auto/marine batteries and other hazardous household waste in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Some of the items include solvents, adhesives & resins, aerosols, motor oil & filters, pesticides, acids, fluorescent bulbs, corrosives, household batteries and antifreeze.
The event is organized by the Orleans County Department of Planning and Development. The county expects to begin taking appointments for the collection in late June, said Corey Winters, a planner with the department.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 February 2023 at 6:46 pm
County stands to lose about $1 million in revenue if state keeps money
ALBION – A move proposed in the governor’s executive budget would take $1,059,000 in revenue from Orleans County, which could result in a nearly 6 percent tax increase locally.
The Orleans County Legislature has formally passed a resolution asking the governor and State Legislature to continue the pass-thru of federal Affordable Care Act enhanced Medicaid Assistance Percentage funds or eFMAP.
The state is proposing to keep those funds going forward and use them to cover further expansions of Medicaid eligibility and benefits and to increase payments to health care providers. That would have a $280 million impact on 57 counties and nearly $1 billion when New York City is included, according to the New York State Association of Counties.
NYSAC said the governor is proposing to cut the counties’ hare while trying to fully fund the state reserves two years ahead of schedule.
The Orleans County Legislature is following the NYSAC lead in urging the state to continue sharing federal funds with counties “as has been the precedent for over 20 years.”
Copies of the resolution from Orleans County, approved on Tuesday, will be forwarded to Gov. Kathy Hochul, the New York State Legislature, and the New York State Congressional Delegation.
This map shows the plan that has been approved for four districts for the Orleans County Legislature.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 February 2023 at 11:18 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature approved a redistricting plan in a 6-1 vote on Tuesday that makes slight adjustments in four legislative districts and keeps the at-large districts unchanged.
Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said the Legislature is following the recommendations of its redistricting consultant, Skyline Demographic Consultants, Inc.
The current districts have an 11.7 percent population variance, which is above the 5 percent threshold allowed.
Skyline’s recommendations include adding part of western Murray to a district that currently is the towns of Albion and Gaines (currently filled by Fred Miller, the lone Democrat on the Legislature).
That gives the Albion-Gaines (District 3) more people and also takes away from District 4 that includes Murray, Kendall and Carlton (currently filled by John Fitzak). The Murray section that is added to District 3 includes 522 people from Murray’s election district 5.
The orange part of Murray will be shifted into a district that includes Albion and Gaines, while the yellow will be in a district that includes Carlton, Kendall and most of Murray.
During the last redistricting about a decade ago, the county added a small part of Shelby to District 2 that included Yates and Ridgeway (currently served by Lynne Johnson).
This time the county will move more of that area back into District 1, the Shelby-Barre-Clarendon district (represented by Bill Eick). That represents a shift of 418 people.
Fred Miller cast the lone vote against the plan. He said there remains a 413-person difference between the biggest district and the smallest. Miller would have the most populous district at 9,961 people.
His district would pick up 522 people from Murray. He thinks it would have been better to split that part of Murray – with half in his district and the other half going to District 1, which has 9,548 people and includes Clarendon, Barre and most of Shelby.
The consultant from Skyline said that portion of Murray comes from election district 5. Redistricting plans should keep an election district whole and not split them up, according to the consultant’s report.
The other district sizes include 9,725 people in District 2 (Yates, Ridgeway and small part of Shelby) and 9,747 in District 4 (Carlton, Kendall and most of Murray).
The deviation from the biggest to smallest is 4.2 percent, within the legal threshold.
The three at-large countywide positions don’t legally require any changes because they represent the same population – the entire county, according to the consultant.
Jeff Lewis, the Orleans County Democratic Party chairman, was among the speakers during a public hearing on Feb. 9, when he asked the redistricting go to seven districts with no county-wide positions.
Lewis attended the Tuesday meeting and asked the legislators if there was any consideration given to his suggestions and others made at the hearing.
“There was much consideration,” Johnson responded.
The Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit against the Legislature about the redistricting. The group would like a bipartisan panel of local residents to draft a proposal for seven districts.
This shows the section of Shelby in red that will be included in the Yates-Ridgeway District and the section in blue that will be in the district that includes Barre, Clarendon and most of Shelby.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 February 2023 at 9:01 am
The Orleans County Legislature went on the record on Tuesday in opposition to proposals from Gov. Kathy Hochul concerning fossil fueled-powered appliances.
The legislature called the proposed mandates “hypocritical and nonsensical environmental laws which burden the working-class citizens of the county and state.”
The governor last month said she wants to ban fossil fuel hookups in newly constructed buildings started with smaller buildings in 2025, and larger buildings in 2028. Any new homes or apartments would not be permitted to have gas-powered appliances. This does not include existing buildings.
Hochul also called for a ban on the sale of new fossil fuel-powered heating equipment in New York, beginning with smaller buildings in 2030 and larger buildings in 2035.
“The Governor’s ban is intended to help address climate change, but this government mandate is more of a burden on our region’s working-class residents and will have a devastating effect on restaurants, businesses and manufacturing facilities whey they have to convert to all electric,” the County Legislature said in a resolution.
Legislators said the cost to convert a house to electric would be $20,000 to $50,000 per household and would not include any kind of backup system in the event of a power outage.
The Legislature said the mandate creates an “unnecessary financial burden and hardship for businesses that compete on a national or global level.” Legislators said the ban on gas appliances will push more businesses and residents out of the state, contributing to “accelerated population loss.”
The ban on gas appliances and water heaters arlso isn’t feasible in Western New York with its harsh winters and exposed electrical infrastructure, according to the Legislature’s resolution. Appliances used to heat water and cook food need to work during power outages especially during times of inclement weather.
“The Orleans County Legislature hereby strongly urges Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to fully examine the real-life impact their decisions will have for all New Yorkers, especially those least able to afford them,” the resolution states.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 February 2023 at 9:17 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Don Draper takes the oath as undersheriff on Tuesday during a ceremonial swearing-in before the County Legislature meeting. His wife Emmy holds the Bible while Sheriff Chris Bourke administers the oath.
Draper replaces Jeff Gifaldi in the role. Gifaldi has retired and works as a code enforcement officer and also part-time in security at Holley Central School.
Draper is a 25-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office. He worked 20 years as a deputy on road patrol and then as supervisor of court security. He most recently has been a sergeant in charge of the civil division.
“I work for the sheriff,” Draper said about the role as undersheriff. “Whatever he needs done, I will do it.”
Draper is the son of retired Medina Police Chief Don Draper and the brother of Medina Police Department Lt. Todd Draper.
Bourke said the new undersheriff knows all of the positions in the Sheriff’s Office “from top to bottom” and has proven to be very dependable and knowledgeable.
“He’s a solid guy,” Bourke said. “He treats people fairly. That’s what I want.”
The Sheriff’s Office also has a new administrative chief deputy with Steven Ploof. He was unable to attend the ceremonial swearing in. Ploof provides oversight of the Civil Division and the numerous local, state and federal grants managed by the Sheriff’s Office, Bourke said.
Brian Marsceill takes the oath of office as an investigator with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
Marsceill replaces Shannon Brett, who retired from the position. The other investigators in the Sheriff’s Office include Devon Pahuta and Kevin Colonna.
Marsceill started as a deputy at the Sheriff’s Office in 2017. Before that he was as a police officer in Medina and Attica.
The sheriff administered the oath for other staff on Tuesday including Amy Sherman, sheriff’s accounts manager; Tyler Ajitsingh, corrections officer; Kari Hagglund and Jodi Marion as part-time dispatchers; and Theresa Brien as a civil clerk.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 February 2023 at 8:22 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Orleans County Legislator Fred Miller shakes hands with Marlene Hill of Medina, one of the board members for Arc GLOW. Miller on Tuesday presented a proclamation on behalf of the County Legislature that declared March as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.”
Arc GLOW officials on hand included Cheryl Englert, board president; John Huber, board member; Martin Miskell, CEO; and Lisa Bors, public relations director.
The former Arc of Genesee Orleans and Arc of Livingston-Wyoming merged in 2021 following 18 months of planning to form the new Arc GLOW. This is the first four-county chapter of The Arc New York. This follows the merger in 2016 of the former Arc of Orleans and Genesee Arc.
In Orleans County, Arc GLOW has homes for individuals with disabilities, operates Orleans Enterprises Work Center in Albion, day habilitation programs, Meals on Wheels/Nutrifare in Albion and Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway. Several programs and departments also share space with the finance department on Caroline Street in Albion, Arc GLOW officials said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 February 2023 at 8:26 am
Provided photo: Orleans County legislators – Skip Draper, Lynne Johnson and John Fitzak – are shown outside the office for U.S. Senate majority Leader Charles Schumer.
ALBION – Three Orleans County legislators spent five days in Washington, D.C. for the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. and also met with representatives of U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Representatives Claudia Tenney and Joe Morelle, whose congressional districts include part of Orleans County.
Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson attended the conference with County Legislators John Fitzak and Skip Draper.
“It is critical that we come to Washington to meet face to face with our representatives and their staff. There is no better way to represent our county and make our voices heard,” Johnson said. “We are looking forward to working with our new Congresswoman, Claudia Tenney and Congressman Joe Morelle and are always grateful for the support that Senators Schumer and Gillibrand have given us.”
Johnson said she thanked Gillibrand for helping to secure $2 million towards upgrading the emergency management office, which was built in a bunker style back in 1962.
The county officials also met with staff members from Congressmen Nick Langworthy NY-23, Brandon Williams NY-22, Marc Molinaro NY-19 and Mike Lawler ‘s NY-17 offices as part of a lobbying day on Capitol Hill with county officials from across the country.
Johnson said discussions with the federal officials centered on more funding for broadband, emergency management, infrastructure, roads, Lake Ontario water levels and dredging.
The National Association of Counties Legislative Conference brought together 2,000 elected county officials to focus on federal policy issues that affect counties and their residents.
“Orleans County is pleased to have participated in this conference and represent our citizens and more importantly, to lobby Congress on their behalf,” Johnson said in a news release.
Conference focused on broadband, agricultural and rural affairs, workforce development, health care and public safety policies. The conference culminated with an address by President Joe Biden.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2023 at 8:02 pm
ALBION – The state comptroller’s office is reporting Orleans County took in $22.5 million in local sales in 2022, which was a 3.0 percent increase or by $700,000 from 2021.
Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said it was a strong year for sales tax state-wide. All 62 counties showed an increase.
The 3.0 percent growth in Orleans is among the smallest across the state. Only six counties were less: Dutchess, 1.6 percent; Wayne, 2.4 percent; Jefferson, 2.4 percent; Chenango, 2.4 percent; Cayuga, 2.5 percent; and Chautauqua, 2.9 percent.
But Orleans is coming a big year in sales tax in 2021, when the county’s sales tax jumped by $2.4 million or 12.7 percent from $19.4 million in 2020 to $21.8 million in 2021. In 2019, the local sales tax totaled $17.7 million.
In three years, the county sales tax is up by $4.8 million or 27 percent.
The local sales tax is mostly used to fund county government. The county shares $1,366,671 with the 10 towns and four villages. They have been frozen at that level since 2001.
Among other GLOW counties, the sales tax included the following for 2022:
Genesee, $49.7 million to $54.9 million, up 10.4 percent
Livingston, $42.2 million to $44.8 million, up 6.2 percent
Orleans, 21.8 million to 22.5 million, up 3.0 percent
Wyoming, $22.7 million to $24.8 million, up 9.2 percent
Statewide the sales tax collections were up 12.7 percent or by $2.5 billion in 2022, totaling $22.1 billion in the calendar year, according to the report from the state comptroller.
New York City’s sales tax growth for 2022 was 20.6 percent, more than three times the growth in counties and cities throughout the rest of the state which was up 6.5 percent.
“The pandemic created significant sales tax volatility over the past few years, first with a major decline, then with a strong rebound,” DiNapoli said. “Sales tax growth has remained strong for a sustained stretch as consumers resumed spending relatively quickly after pandemic shutdowns ended. Additionally, the state implemented policies just prior to the pandemic that ensured more online sales were being fully taxed.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Several people spoke at a public hearing on Thursday evening about a redistricting proposal for the Orleans County Legislature. Pictured from left include Jason Dragon of Albion, Jess Marciano of Medina and Jim Renfrew of Clarendon.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2023 at 10:09 am
ALBION – Several Democrats, including the party’s chairman and vice chairman, asked the Orleans County Legislature to try again with a redistricting proposal, and eliminate three at-large or countywide positions.
The Democrats’ leadership said the current makeup of the Legislature – four district positions and three at-large posts – should be changed to seven district positions with no at-large legislators.
“At-large districts, due to their larger size, tend to make it much more difficult for a candidate with limited resources to prevail in an election,” said Jim Renfrew, vice chairman of the Democratic Party. “We believe that at-large districts look too much like a strategy to marginalize minority views.”
Jeff Lewis, chairman of the Orleans County Democratic Party, speaks during Thursday’s public hearing at the legislative chambers of the Orleans County Office Building. He asked the Legislature to eliminate the three at-large positions and instead have seven districts of the same population.
Democrats, which are outnumbered by registered Republicans by a 2-to-1 ratio in the county, are at a competitive disadvantage in county-wide races. Having smaller district positions would make the races less daunting for Democrats and other candidates. In some elections, the entire seven-member Legislature is unopposed. Rarely do more than two legislators have opposition.
“Orleans is the only county in New York that has at-large legislative districts,” Renfrew said. “While there may have been a reason for designing them this way fifty years ago, they diminish democracy in the present time. I think there should be seven districts of equal population, and none of them at-large.”
The redistricting proposal keeps the three at-large positions. There is an at-large legislator from the east end (currently Ed Morgan of Murray), one from the central (currently Don Allport of Gaines) and one from the west end (currently Skip Draper of Shelby.
The county’s population in the 2020 census was 40,343. For redistricting, the 1,456 population in the two state prisons is taken out. That puts the county total at 38,891 for redistricting. Dividing that by the four legislative districts puts the ideal district at 9,723.
With the current district boundaries there would be an 11.7 percent population variance, which is above the 5 percent threshold allowed.
The county worked with Skyline Demographic Consultants, Inc. to bring the four legislative districts within an acceptably close size.
Courtesy of Orleans County Legislature: This map shows a plan for four of the districts for the Orleans County Legislature.
David Schaefer, vice president with Skyline, went over the changes in the districts to bring them within an acceptable size.
The county is looking to add part of western Murray to a district that currently is the towns of Albion and Gaines (currently filled by Fred Miller, the lone Democrat on the Legislature). That gives the Albion-Gaines (District 3) more people and also takes away from District 4 that includes Murray, Kendall and Carlton (currently filled by John Fitzak). The Murray section that is added to District 3 includes 522 people from Murray’s election district 5.
During the last redistricting about a decade ago, the county added a small part of Shelby to District 2 that included Yates and Ridgeway (currently served by Lynne Johnson). This time the county is looking to move more of that area back into District 1, the Shelby-Barre-Clarendon district (represented by Bill Eick). That represents a shift of 418 people.
The three at-large countywide positions don’t legally require any changes because they represent the same population – the entire county.
The Legislature is expected to vote on the redistricting changes during its 4:30 p.m. meeting on Feb. 21. The county is under pressure to get the changes approved because candidates for the position are already going through the endorsement process and soon will be circulating petitions to run.
The Orleans County Democratic Party in December filed a lawsuit to demand the county move forward with redistricting. County officials said the process was already under way before the lawsuit was filed.
“Why a lawsuit?” Renfrew said during the public hearing. “It shows that we are very serious about our concerns, and it gets your attention.”
Jeff Lewis, the Democratic Party chairman, asked the Legislature to “go back to the drawing board” and have a Legislature with seven equally sized districts. He said those districts would be more “community centric where people would know their representative.”
Jason Dragon of the Village of Albion said the current Legislature pushes projects outside the villages. He would like to see districts with a stronger voice for villages. The county, for example, does little to assist villages with their very high tax rates, Dragon said.
Dennis Seekins of Lyndonville urges the Legislature to change the makeup into seven legislative districts instead of the current four with three at-large positions.
Jess Marciano, a Medina village trustee and Democratic Committee member, said eliminating the at-large districts and having more legislative districts would result in smaller areas for the legislators. Instead of districts with an ideal size of 9,723 with four districts they would be 5,556 with seven districts. Marciano said eliminating the at-large positions and having more districts might result in smaller populated towns, such as Barre and Clarendon, having a legislator from that town.
The current makeup includes two legislators from Shelby, two from Gaines, and one each from Yates, Carlton and Murray. Renfrew said it’s odd with the current setup that some towns can have two people on the Legislature while one end of the county (the east side) has one person total.
Marciano asked that there be a non-partisan commission with county residents to determine the lines for the districts, without the county relying solely on a consultant.
Courtesy of Orleans County Legislature: This map shows a plan for four of the districts for the Orleans County Legislature.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 February 2023 at 9:19 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature will take comments during a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Thursday for a redistricting proposal for four legislative districts in the Legislature.
The hearing will be in the legislative chambers at the County Office Building, 14016 Route 31 West in Albion.
The seven-member Legislature has four legislative districts, each with about 10,000 people, and then three at-large or countywide positions.
The four legislative districts are allowed to have up to 5 percent variance in population. But the current districts, without changes, are at 11.7 percent deviation, which is out of compliance with state and federal law.
The county worked with Skyline Demographic Consultants, Inc. to bring the four legislative districts within an acceptably close size.
The county is looking to add part of western Murray to a district that currently is the towns of Albion and Gaines. That gives the Albion-Gaines (District 3) more people and also takes away from District 4 that includes Murray, Kendall and Carlton. The Murray section going to District 3 includes 522 people from Murray’s election district 5.
During the last redistricting about a decade ago, the county added a small part of Shelby to District 2 that included Yates and Ridgeway. This time the county is looking to move more of that area back into District 1, the Shelby-Barre-Clarendon district. That represents a shift of 418 people, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
County officials are pushing to get the boundaries set for the four districts because it is the start of the election cycle with candidates interviewing political party leaders for endorsements. Candidates also will need to get petitions signed to get on the ballot for a primary and the general election.
The county’s population in the 2020 census was 40,343 people. That census block population shows 1,456 incarcerated people at two state prisons in Albion. Those people are not included the county redistricting process for the legislative districts.
County officials are taking out the 1,456 population for the prisons. That number has then been subtracted from the 40,343 in the census and with another small adjustment the total for the county is 38,891 for redistricting. Dividing that by the four legislative districts puts the ideal district at 9,745.
The redistricting changes would move 940 people into different districts, which is 2.4 percent of the population, said Jack Welch, the county chief administrative officer.
State law allows a 5 percent deviation. A plus or minus of 2.5 percent from the ideal would be 245 people.
The redistricting proposal puts the deviation at a maximum of 4.2 percent, with District 1 down by 2.02 percent from the ideal and District 3 at 2.22 percent over the ideal.
District 1 with most of Shelby, all of Barre and Clarendon would be 9,548 people, or down 197 people or 2.02 percent from the ideal.
District 2 with Yates, Ridgeway and small portion of Shelby would be 9,725, or 20 fewer than the ideal or under by 0.21 percent.
District 3 with Gaines, Albion and part of western Murray would be a population of 9,961, which is over the ideal by 2.22 percent or 216 people.
District 4 with Carlton, Kendall and most of Murray would total 9,747 people, only 2 more than the ideal or off by just 0.02 percent.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2023 at 8:46 am
ALBION – Two proposals in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget could result in a big tax hit for Orleans County.
Hochul has proposed increasing the hourly rate for assigned counsel from $75 to $119 an hour. This would cost the county approximately $200,000 per year, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.
The increase in rates for lawyers in assigned counsel would cost counties and New York City about $150 million more annually, according to an analysis by the New York State Association of Counties.
A bigger impact on county taxpayers would be a proposal for the state to keep federal funding for the Medicaid program that currently is shared with counties and New York City to pay towards Medicaid.
The executive budget would end the Affordable Care Act enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (eFMAP) federal pass-through to counties and New York City. That would zap $1,059,034 per year in revenue to the county budget, or 5.6 percent of the county’s tax levy.
“This ends twenty years of the state sharing the eFMAP funding with counties,” Welch said. “This would be devastating to our taxpayers. Interested persons should contact the Governor’s Office expressing their opinion on this proposed change in the funding of Medicaid for our residents.”
NYSAC has analyzed the governor’s proposals and said eliminating the ACA eFMAP federal pass-thru will require the 57 counties to spend at least $280 million more annually, and about $1 billion more when New York City is included.
ALBION – A move proposed in the governor’s executive budget would take $1,059,000 in revenue from Orleans County, which could result in a nearly 6 percent tax increase locally.
ALBION – The state comptroller’s office is reporting Orleans County took in $22.5 million in local sales in 2022, which was a 3.0 percent increase or by $700,000 from 2021.
