By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 April 2022 at 11:34 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Brian Stratton, state canal director, is on the hydro-bike and Greg Reed, Orleans County YMCA director, is in the kayak in this photo on June 15, 2021 at Medina’s Canal Basin.
MEDINA – The kayaks and hydro-bikes will be back in Medina this summer.
The State Canal Corp. offered the 8-week program last year. Medina was one of five canal communities offering free “On the Canals” outdoor excursions last summer as part of the state’s Reimagine the Canals initiative. The other communities in the program include Macedon, Waterloo, Savannah and Amsterdam.
Medina will offer them again this year, but it will be scaled down from six days to four days. People can use the kayaks and hydro-bikes without a charge and can make appointments online. The Orleans County YMCA manages the program for the state.
Greg Reed, YMCA director, notified the Medina Village Board the program will be back this summer and will be offered from the Canal Basin on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and then at Glenwood Lake on Fridays and Saturdays.
Last year, about 1,200 people signed up to use the kayaks and hydro-bikes, Reed said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 April 2022 at 9:18 am
Village wants to use funds to promote tourism and bring more visitors to Medina
Photo by Tom Rivers: This worker shown in late January does some final prep of the 58-room Comfort Inn & Suites that opened in March on Maple Ridge Road.
MEDINA – The village could soon be getting a new revenue stream through a 2 percent “bed tax” on hotel, motel, “tourist home” and other lodging in the village.
The Medina Village Board first pushed for the tax in 2018 but the initiative stalled in the State Legislature. But State Sen. Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Steve Hawley have taken up the issue again and introduced resolutions in the Senate and Assembly.
Medina needs the approval of the State Legislature to collect the tax. Since its initial push for the bed tax, Medina has added 10 more hotel rooms at the Bent’s Opera House in the downtown and also with a new 58-room Comfort Inn & Suites on Maple Ridge Road that opened last month. The Bunkhaus Hostel also opened in late 2019.
Mayor Mike Sidari said the revenue through the bed tax would be dedicated to better position Medina as a tourism destination and help the village better capitalize on the canal, its historic downtown and agri-tourism. He isn’t sure how much in revenue to expect from the tax each year.
The county currently receives a 4 percent occupancy tax. That totaled nearly $60,000 in both 2019 and 2020. The Medina tax would be in addition to the 4 percent imposed by the county for lodging businesses inside the village.
Medina doesn’t receive any of the county’s bed tax. The village has been looking for ways to increase revenue to promote the village. The county hasn’t increased the local sales tax share to village and towns since 2001 and the state Aid and Incentives to Municipalities hasn’t been increased in many years. Medina only gets $45,523 in state AIM, a tiny fraction of what the state gives a similar-size city.
If the Legislature approves the occupancy tax for Medina, it would take effect “immediately,” according to the legislation from Ortt.
School library professionals spent a day at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES’ Conference Center recently.
An educator from OverDrive reviewed their eBook and audiobook platform and K12 application called SORA. The SLS (School Library System) considered and approved a regional two-year pilot collection that will be available free to all districts for two years.
The SORA application provides accessible text features like large print, font and color change, and text-to-audio to assist students with special needs.
“It is important for each School Library System (SLS) to have a plan in place for resource sharing,” said Orleans/Niagara BOCES School Library System Coordinator Chris Conrad. “This allows member libraries to maximize what they are able to share and to yield the greatest return on investment. Furthermore, this plan is for materials that fall outside the core curricular collection maintained by school libraries.”
In 2021, GO Health tested 46 animals for rabies and 4 tested positive
Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Department
Spring is here and that means wild animals will be giving birth to their babies. Sometimes these cute baby animals will stray away from their mothers and wander into backyards, into barns, and onto porches tempting people to catch them and take them in as their own.
“Please leave them alone because it can put you and other family members at risk of exposure to a fatal disease such as rabies,” stated Paul Pettit, Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health).
Rabies is a central nervous system disease, which attacks the brain and almost always results in death if a rabies exposure is not treated. Rabies is most often spread through bites, scratches, and contact with infected saliva. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rabies is most often seen in bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes, but any mammal can be infected with rabies. In addition, pets and livestock can get rabies if they are not vaccinated to protect against infection.
In 2021, GO Health tested 46 animals for rabies and four tested positive. Additionally, 221 dogs and 54 cats were observed in 10-day confinement between the two counties. A domestic animal is subject to 10-day confinement if they bite a human. The animal’s health and behavior is monitored for 10 days to determine if rabies may be present and if further action is required.
What can you do to protect yourself against rabies?
Leave all wildlife alone, including any injured animals. If you find an injured animal, do not touch it and contact your local animal control office for help.
Avoid feeding, approaching, touching, or adopting wild animals and stray domestic animals such as cats and dogs.
If you see a stray dog or cat, do not pet it. This is especially important if you are traveling out of the United States to a country where rabies in dogs is common.
If you find any animal that is acting strangely, you should contact your local animal control office for help.
Be sure that your pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets) are up-to-date on their rabies vaccination. Even indoor pets should be vaccinated and it is also recommended that livestock animals are vaccinated.
Public Health Law, Article 21, Title 4 requires New York State (NYS) residents to keep their pets (cats, dogs, and ferrets) up-to-date on their rabies vaccination.
Keep family pets indoors at night and do not let them roam alone.
Anyone who has been bitten by any animal or may have been exposed to rabies needs to take immediate action. Make sure to thoroughly clean any wounds or bites with soap and water, and then call your health care provider for further instructions. If you can do so safely, capture the animal (being careful not to damage the head/brain) and call your local health department to report the incident. Capturing the animal is vital in order for it to be tested for rabies. Testing will confirm if the animal is infected with the virus or not, making sure that only those who need treatment get it.
A doctor in consultation with the health department will determine who needs to be vaccinated with rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (RPEP). The cost to treat an individual varies considerably based on weight, number of doses, and insurance. In 2021, treatment costs ranged from $2,000 to $9,000. GO Health will work with the patient’s insurance company, but what is not covered by insurance is ultimately the responsibility of the taxpayers. In 2021, Genesee County treated 14 people and Orleans County treated 13 people.
“We encourage residents to do their part to prevent rabies in the community by vaccinating their pets and practicing caution around wild and stray animals,” stated Pettit. “Please visit one of the upcoming free drive-thru anti-rabies immunization clinics for dogs, cats and ferrets.”
Genesee County Clinics at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia, NY)
Thursday, May 19th, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Thursday, August 11th,from 4 to 7 p.m.
Thursday, September 15th, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Thursday, October 13th, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Orleans County Clinics at the Orleans County Fairgrounds (12690 Rt. 31, Albion, NY)
Saturday, April 23rd, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, June 4th, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 13th, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, October 15th, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
For more information on Health Department services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call 589- 3278 for Orleans County or 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 for Genesee County.
Press Release, Independent Living of the Genesee Region
ALBION – It will soon be easier for Orleans County residents who have a disability to take advantage of the programs and services provided by Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR).
On April 18th, the agency will be opening an Albion office in the Business Center of the Arnold Gregory Building at 243 South Main St. Office hours will be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ILGR offers a wide range of services to help people with disabilities remain in control of their own lives and live more independently. Among them are long term supports and services for seniors and individuals with disabilities through NY Connects, application assistance for Medicaid, Social Security, and Department of Social Services programs, employment and housing search and assistance; a loan closet with free durable medical equipment; and Taking Control, which provides consumer directed personal assistance services (home care aides).
ILGR joins Catholic Charities and a variety of non-profit agencies, personal health & service practices and other businesses at the former hospital, which also offers easy parking and a coffee & snack shop.
ILGR, which is headquartered at 319 West Main Street in Batavia, will share opening details on the ILGR Facebook page at ILGR14020. For questions, call (585) 815-8501, extension 400.
Independent Living of the Genesee Region is a member of the Western New York Independent Living, Inc. Family of Agencies. It offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.
Provided photo: A camper enjoys playing in the sand at Camp Rainbow.
RIDGEWAY – Arc GLOW’s Jenifer Batt is gearing up for another exciting season at Camp Rainbow!
Batt is director of the camp which opens for its 30th season on July 11. The camp is accepting applications for campers and staff.
“This year, we really want to stress the availability of scholarships for eligible campers that cover one week of camp and transportation,” she said.
The 2022 season kicks off July 11 and runs through August 12 and each session lasts one week, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Camp is open to all children ages 5 – 21; Younger children must have finished their first year of elementary school and campers over 16 must still be in school to attend.
While Camp Rainbow was originally designed to meet the needs of children with developmental and/or physical disabilities, it was opened up to all children in 1992.
Since that time, Camp Rainbow has encouraged friendships and understanding among all children, promoting integration and inclusion.
“What a great milestone – 30 years of making memories for all children,” Batt said. “People love to reminisce about their time at Camp Rainbow – in fact I just learned that one of the counselors we hired for this summer is a former camper.”
The camp schedule includes daily participation in arts and crafts, music, nature and science, and athletics programming, under the supervision of a team of enthusiastic camp counselors. The camp nurse is on-site at all times during the camp day.
Campers will receive two wholesome meals daily at no charge, through the assistance of the Summer Food Service Program offered by the New York State Department of Education. With parental consent, children will enjoy free swim time under the supervision of a certified lifeguard in Camp’s 4-foot in-ground swimming pool.
“We are excited to announce that our field trip to the Orleans County Fair returns this year for the first time since 2019,” Batt said.
Positions are available for people looking for a fun and rewarding work experience this summer. Openings include counselors, lifeguards and a head lifeguard (click here).
The week-long camper scholarships that are available include the cost of tuition, meals and transportation for a week of camp. Campers can come for a week, multiple weeks, or the entire five weeks. However, scholarships are for one week only in order to give as many kids as possible the camp experience. Private pay cost for camp is $135/week for tuition and $90/week for transportation.
New this year, with enough interest, a Batavia-based bus pick up/transportation option will be added. Parents can also provide their own transportation to and from camp. Transportation and scholarships are limited so it is important to get applications in soon. They can be found on the Camp Rainbow page of Arc GLOW’s website (click here) and are due May 15. If you have questions or need assistance with completing or returning the application, please call Jenifer Batt at 585-343-1123 ext. 1150 or email jbatt@arcglow.org.
Camp History – Located at 2272 Yates-Carlton Townline Road, the Shenberger family generously donated the property that is home to Camp Rainbow. They wanted to help create a place where children with disabilities, now all children, had opportunities for fun and interaction. Volunteers then spent hundreds of hours clearing the land and building the facilities.
ALBION – For the eighth year, RESTORE is placing displays around the region to raise awareness for sexual violence.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which gives RESTORE and rape crisis programs nationwide a spotlight on sexual violence and the resources people can turn to for help.
In each of five counties RESTORE serves there is a display of 1,183 small orange flags, including in front of the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion.
The flags represent the national statistic that an American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds, or 1,183 every day. The displays also include explanatory signage and RESTORE’s 24-hour hotline number.
RESTORE is partnering with multiple agencies across the region for the flag displays.
In Orleans County, signage will be posted at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in Albion.
In Genesee County, the flags will be displayed on the lawn of the Genesee County Courts Facility in Batavia.
In Wyoming County, the flags will be hosted at the Government Center in Warsaw through collaboration with the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office.
In Livingston County, RESTORE’s display has moved to a new home at the lawn of the County Courthouse in Geneseo.
In Monroe County, flags are hosted at the Planned Parenthood health center on University Avenue in Rochester.
The flags remain on display throughout the month of April. Additional displays travel across the five-county region, hosted by the colleges with whom RESTORE partners for advocacy, education and support.
For assistance call the 24-hour hotline Genesee, Livingston, Orleans & Wyoming counties at 1-800-527-1757 and in Monroe County at 1-585-546-2777.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 April 2022 at 10:28 am
Average price of $4.379 in Orleans is highest in upstate NY
Photo by Tom Rivers: The gas price today at the Crosby’s station in Albion at the corner of routes 31 and 98 are $4.35 of a gallon of regular unleaded. That’s down 4 cents from a week ago.
The average price for regular unleaded gas dropped 7 cents in the state in the past week and 8 cents nationally.
The average price in the state is at $4.223 today (down from $4.293 a week ago) while diesel is at $5.270, which is down from $5.314 a week ago.
The price hasn’t budged in Orleans County, however. It is at $4.379 a gallon today, the same as two weeks ago. The price in Orleans is the highest in upstate New York, according to AAA. The only counties it’s higher are Rockland at $4.396, Westchester at $4.407 and Manhattan at $4.602.
The average price in WNY counties includes:
Orleans: $4.379
Monroe: $4.298
Genesee: $4.279
Wyoming: $4.296
Livingston: $4.324
Niagara: $4.259
Erie: $4.282
Chautauqua: $4.197
Cattaraugus: $4.162
The national price is down 8 cents to $4.11. AAA said oil prices have been trending downward, and are hovering around the $100 per barrel. The prices are expected to drop more after the International Energy Agency’s 31 member countries announced plans to release 120 million barrels of crude oil from their emergency oil stockpiles.
“The amount includes a previously announced 60 million barrels of oil from the U.S.,” AAA said in a news release. “It would be the second coordinated release in just over a month in response to spiking oil prices after Russia invaded Ukraine. The announcement has helped ease some supply concerns, pushing crude prices lower.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 11 April 2022 at 9:08 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Teri Lester, left, and Kathy Alexander move a wardrobe into a display on the floor of the Main Street Store. The store has a large variety of furniture at very reasonable prices.
ALBION – The Main Street Thrift Store, like many others, is struggling because of Covid, said Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.
The store offers employment services, on-the-job training and post-employment support to local residents. Proceeds from the store make these services possible.
Hungerford and Katrina Chaffee, director of community services for Community Action, met last week with employees and volunteers at the store to promote community support and remind the public of the great service this store provides.
The store, which opened in 2014, is managed by Michelle George. Other employees are Teri Lester, Kathy Alexander and Cassie Eagle, who is classroom instructor and in training for store manager. John Heschke is a volunteer who performs a variety of duties.
The store has embarked on a campaign to thank the community for its support and encourage shoppers to check out the Main Street Thrift Store. For the first time, the store has posted coupons online, in addition to the daily specials on select items in the store.
“When everyone else’s prices are going up, ours are going down,” George said.
They are also running an employee contest, in which employees get a supply of tickets to hand out to family and friends. The who has the most tickets returned will win a $100 gift card to Home Depot.
This year, the store participated in Albion’s Sip and Stroll, with food samples, wine tasting and live music.
Staff and volunteers of the Main Street Store sit on several sofas which are for sale at the store, which is offering coupons to get people back into the store, after the slowdown caused by Covid. From left are John Heschke, volunteer; Teri Lester, Kathy Alexander, Michelle George and Cassie Eagle, staff; Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action; and Katrina Chaffee, director of community services and reporting.
George calls the Main Street Thrift Store the area’s “Best kept secret.”
They offer men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry, household goods, small appliances, electronics, collectibles, books and games and furniture, even a violin, among other things. A year-round holiday room is very popular, George said.
An important part of their success is donations from the community – of gently loved household items and clothing. They offer pick-up for large furniture items. Cash or credit card donations are accepted at the store on Just Giving at https://caoginc.org/. The Main Street Store should be indicated in the message of support.
Volunteers are also welcome to decorate displays and work at the cash register. There is also an opportunity for people to create e-bay listings for the store.
George also explained the important service the store provides to Albion Central School students. The store contracts with the school to provide one-on-one tutoring for credit recovery. Students come to the store one day a week for instruction by Eagle. Sessions are also attended by Eagle’s dog Aggie. Eagle said they found the dog had a calming effect on students.
The Main Street Thrift Store is open from 10:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Information is available on their Facebook page at Mainstreetthriftstore.albion.
Another $35K also allocated in ‘restart’ grants to help cultural groups
BATAVIA – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council announced $107,800 in grants for artists, community organizations and municipalities to support concerts and other cultural activities in 2022.
The funding is the most ever in the 35 years that GO ART! has partnered with the New York State Council on the Arts. GO Art! distributes the state money through the Statewide Community Regrant Program. GO ART! has now regranted over $1.5 million in the 35 years through regrant programs, which supports local arts and artists in our community.
The Statewide Community Regrant Programs consists of three different grants: Reach, Ripple and Spark.
Reach – The Reach grants provide seed funding to individual artists, collectives and arts organizations for projects and activities that enable Genesee and Orleans communities to experience and engage with the performing, literary, media, and visual arts. Each year the program supports over arts projects, including concerts, performances, public art, exhibitions, screenings, festivals, workshops, readings, and more.
Reach grantees for 2022 include:
Orleans County YMCA – YMCA Visual Community Culture, $4,500
Village of Albion – Concerts on the Canal, $2,410
Lyndonville Lions Club – I Hear the Music, $5,000
Cobblestone Museum – The Cobblestone Museum Arts Series, $5,000
Village of Holley – Concerts in Canal Park, $2,200
Yates Community Library – More than just books, $4,950
Village of Medina – Painting of Murals, $3,460
Eric Weatherbee – the Humble Bard Presents, $2,500
Gilliam Grant Community Center – Collage of Art, $4,450
Bergen Historical Society – Silent Film Series, $3,000
The Elba Betterment Committee – EBC Presents Art around Town, $2,350
Holland Purchase Historical Society – Holland Land Office Museum Guest Speaker and Concert Series, $3,250
Genesee County Chamber of Commerce – Genesee County Mural Trail, $4,500
Woodward Memorial Library – Art on the Go, $1,286
Haxton Memorial Library – Talented Thursdays, $5,000
Ripple – The GO ART! Individual Artist Commission (Ripple Grant) supports local, artist-initiated activity, and highlights the role of artists as important members of the community. The Ripple funding is for artistic projects with outstanding artistic merit that work within a community setting.
The Ripple grantees include:
Eric Weatherbee – The Humble Bard Magazine, $2,500
Mandy Humphrey – Beacon Street Mural, $2,000
Bart Dentino – Concert in the Classroom: Can you see what you hear? – $2,500
Spark – The Arts Education Program (Spark grant) supports arts education projects for youth and/or senior learners. Emphasis is placed on the depth and quality of the creative process through which participants learn through or about the arts. Projects must focus on the exploration of art and the artistic process.
Bart Dentino – The Spaces Between the Leaves, $2,500
In addition to the annual Statewide Community Regrant Program, GO Art! was given a one-time additional funding opportunity through the Restart NY Regrant Program to provide another $35,000 in grants.
The Restart NY Regrant Program was developed as part an initiative to spur the revitalization of New York’s creative economy. The program was administered through a network of local and regional organizations through a transparent peer panel funding process and was available to artists and organizations in each of the state’s 62 counties.
Through the Restart NY Regrant Program, GO ART!, NYSCA and the New York State Legislature hoped to provide immediate support to promote arts experiences and fuel the reopening and recovery of performance organizations and groups.
Grants opportunities were prioritized for organizations and artists planning live performing arts projects, those planning projects and events that are open to and engage public participation and audiences in Genesee and Orleans counties.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 April 2022 at 8:45 pm
Provided photo
CLARENDON – The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Company held its annual awards and installation dinner on Saturday night.
Pictured form left include new Fire Chief Marc Major who started Jan. 1; Jon R. DeYoung, appreciation award for nine years on board (now deputy chief); Mary Kay Jenks, president’s award for exceptional service to president Bob Freida; outgoing chief Jim DeYoung presented with engraved ax for two years of service as chief; Kerry McCormack, chief’s award of excellence; Josh Henneman, board of directors’ award; Jonathon Salber, 15 years of service and life member; and Mark Lambert, 15 years of service and life member. Robert Margis, not pictured, also was recognized for 30 years of service as a Clarendon firefighter.
The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Company responded to 426 calls in 2021 – 326 of those were EMS calls.
The 2022 officers were sworn into office by Orleans County Emergency Management Director Dale Banker.
The 2022 Clarendon Fire Company Civil Officers:
President: Robert Freida
Vice President: Joe Morlino
Board of Directors: Donnie Mosier, Kerry McCormack, Earl Jenks, Robert Margis and Jim DeYoung
Treasurer: Karl Biedlingmaier
Secretary: Josh Henneman
2022 Clarendon Line Officers:
Chief: Marc Major
Deputy Chief: Jon DeYoung Jr.
Assistant Chief: Don Mosier
Captains: Joe Morlino and Josh Henneman
Lieutenants: Jim DeYoung, Bill Gergely Jr. and Dalton Major
ALBION – On April 9th at approximately 12:13 a.m., Albion police officers were dispatched to the 300 block of West State Street for the report of shots fired.
Once on scene, officers located evidence confirming that shots were fired. At this time, it is believed that no one was injured in this incident and officers did recover a semi-automatic handgun near the scene that was previously reported stolen in an unrelated incident outside Orleans County.
This incident is being actively investigated by the Albion Police Department and anyone with any information regarding this investigation is strongly urged to contact the Albion Police Department at (585) 589-5627, the Orleans County Dispatch Center at (585) 589-5527 or 911.
The Albion Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the New York State Police and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 April 2022 at 10:28 am
ALBION – The school district has removed a manual sign along Route 31 that promotes school events. That sign near the tennis courts had become unusable, said Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent.
“The foundation was loose and we are unable to open either side to change the lettering without it breaking,” he said. “This is why the message on our old sign hardly ever changed.”
The district is working with Toth’s Sports to install a Daktonics message display system. The foundation is in and the installation date for the sign is scheduled for April 25.
“We feel this new sign will be extremely beneficial to the community as it can be updated daily to keep our community informed at all times,” Edwards said.
The sign is about 10 feet wide with columns another 2 feet. The sign will be about 10 feet high in brick to match the high school.
The district is using American Rescue Plan Act funds to cover the cost of $85,870 sign, which includes removal of the old sign and bushes.
File photo by Tom Rivers: Larry Gaylord, who is now retired as a member of the Building and Grounds Department for Albion Central School, changes the manual sign on Feb. 21, 2017 for the school, advertising a basketball game between faculty and state troopers.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the highlights of the historic FY 2023 Budget, which blends record investments into the long-term future of New York along with significant one-time aid to help recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and unprecedented fiscal responsibility.
This historic blueprint meets the once-in-a-generation moment to invest in New Yorkers by rebuilding the healthcare economy, building the education system of the future, reducing the tax burden for those who need it most, improving the state’s transportation and housing infrastructure, combating climate change, creating jobs, and improving public safety and ethic oversight in government.
In pairing bold vision with fiscal responsibility, the Budget brings the State’s reserves to 15 percent of State Operating Funds spending by 2025 – a level never seen before. Planned deposits are: $5 billion in FY 2022, $5.1 billion in FY 2023, $2.5 billion in FY 2024 and $2.9 billion in FY 2025.
“When I was sworn in, I promised that every decision I make will go through one lens: is it the best deal for New Yorkers?” Governor Hochul said. “This budget fulfills that promise and provides us with a blueprint for the short- and long-term future. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not just bring relief to families and put more money in people’s pockets today, but also to make historic investments in New Yorkers for years ahead. With this budget we are seizing that opportunity and ushering in a new era of a stronger, safer, more prosperous New York State.”
Highlights of the FY 2023 Budget include:
Rebuilding Our Healthcare Economy to Provide Care for More New Yorkers
The budget agreement includes a historic $20 billion multi-year healthcare investment inthe FY 2023 State Budget. Creating better working conditions for healthcare workers will be a priority, with $1.2 billion dedicated to frontline healthcare worker bonuses, as well as a $4.5 billion multi-year investment in payment reform.
Other landmark investments include $2.4 billion being directed to improving healthcare infrastructure and $3.9 billion in funding to provide aid to hospitals struggling financially from the Covid-19 pandemic. Another $7.7 billion will be spent over four years to increase the home care worker minimum wage by $3. These groundbreaking investments will work together to improve working conditions and grow the workforce by 20 percent over the next five years, and improve the healthcare industry for all New Yorkers.
Building the Education System of the Future
The State Budget provides unprecedented support to build the education system of the future with $31.5 billion in total School Aid for School Year 2023, the highest level of State aid ever. This investment represents a year-to-year increase of$2.1 billion (7.2 percent)compared to School Year 2022, including a$1.5 billion Foundation Aid increase, $125 million of additional funding for full-day prekindergarten, and a$451 million increase in all other School Aid programs.
The Budget also includes transformative investments in SUNY and CUNY with more than $500 million in additional support of the systems’ operations and $2.2 billion to fund capital projects on SUNY and CUNY campuses. Additionally, it includes$150 million to expand TAP, a critical lifeline for students that is currently largely unavailable to those studying part time, to cover students enrolled in six or more credits of study at a SUNY, CUNY, or not-for-profit independent college. This investment in TAP is estimated to provide a life-changing opportunity to 75,000 additional New York students annually.
$32.8 Billion for Transportation Infrastructure
The Budget includes a new historic$32.8 billion five-year capital plan for programs and proposed projects administered by the New York State Department of Transportation. The adoption of this new capital plan, the largest investment ever in the state’s transportation infrastructure, represents a$9.4 billion (40.2 percent) increase over the prior five-year plan period.
The new transportation plan prioritizes and refocuses investments on State and local roads and bridges in smaller municipalities; makes our state’s communities more resilient to extreme weather events; and incorporates strategic investments to reconnect neighborhoods and facilitate regional economic growth, while creating thousands of new jobs.
Historic Investment in Clean Energy Infrastructure, Climate Resiliency and Preservation
The Budget will authorize an additional $1.2 billion for the landmark Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, bringing the total investment to $4.2 billion. In addition to the Bond Act, the Budget contains a record $400 million Environmental Protection Fund to support climate change mitigation projects, improve agricultural resources, protect our water sources, advance conservation efforts, and provide recreational opportunities for all New Yorkers, as well as a $500 million investment to develop the State’s offshore wind supply chains and port infrastructure.
This nation-leading initiative will create 2,000 jobs in a growing industry, while helping to make New York the offshore wind capital of the country for years to come. The Budget also helps protect public health and advances environmental and economic restoration by extending and enhancing New York’s successful Brownfield Cleanup Program and includes an additional $500 million in clean water infrastructure funding, bringing the State’s total clean water investment to $4.5 billion since 2017.
$25 Billion Comprehensive Housing Plan
The Budget will advance a bold, comprehensive, $25 billion, five-year housing plan that tackles systemic inequities by creating and preserving 100,000 affordable homes, including 10,000 homes with support services for vulnerable populations.
This plan also electrifies an additional 50,000 homes as part of the State’s plan to electrify one million homes and make another one million electrification-ready. Funding includes $5.7 billion in capital resources, $8.8 billion in State and Federal tax credits and other federal allocations, and $11 billion to support the operation of shelters and supportive housing units and to provide rental subsidies.
Expanding Access to Child Care
The Budget reinforces Governor Hochul’s commitment to giving children the best possible chance at success and parents the ability to participate and advance in the workforce by investing $7 billion over four years, more than doubling New York’s support for child care.
The Budget increases the income eligibility threshold for child care subsidies to 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($83,250 for a family of four), extending eligibility to more than half of young children in New York.
The Budget also expands access to high quality child care by increasing the child care market rate to include 80 percent of providers. This change will broaden the child care options available to subsidy families while also increasing reimbursements for child care providers. To further support providers, the backbone of the industry, the Budget invests $343 million provide a second round of provider stabilization grants. These grants will go directly to providers and their employees, with 75 percent of the grants dedicated to workforce support, including wage increases, bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and contributions to staff retirement plans and health insurance costs.
Recovering from the Pandemic
The Budget supports programs that are a lifeline for vulnerable New Yorkers as the global pandemic made plain the fragile connection many have to basic needs. As part of an agreement with the legislature to spend $2 billion in pandemic recovery reserves on one-time investments, the FY 2023 Enacted Budget includes:
• $800 million in state funds for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which has so far paid or obligated $2.1 billion for rental arrears, supporting more than 160,000 low and moderate-income households at risk of housing instability;
• $800 million for hospitals still experiencing financial distress from the Covid-19 pandemic;
• $250 million in utility arrear assistance;
• $125 million in homeowner and landlord assistance; and
• $25 million in other one-time, non-recurring investments.
Protecting Public Safety and Taking Action Against Gun Violence
The Budget includes meaningful and significant changes to our public safety laws to make our state safer, to tackle the pervasive unease many are feeling in our streets, and to make our criminal justice system more fair for all. These changes include:
• Allowing judges to set bail for gun charges that were previously subject only to release;
• Adding factors that judges must consider when setting bail for any bail-eligible offense;
• Closing problematic loopholes on Raise the Age and Discovery; and
• Making Kendra’s Law more effective.
The Budget also includes $90 million in new resources to support discovery reform implementation and pretrial services. This includes:
• A $65 million investment in approaches to discovery that ensure public safety, including system-wide coordination, technology, expanded storage capabilities, and administrative support; and
• $25 million for pretrial services, alternative to incarceration services and reentry programs. These services include reminders and monitoring of court attendance, screening, and referrals for mental health and substance abuse treatment.
The Budget will also include$224 million to fund bold initiatives that will strengthen the gun violence prevention efforts of law enforcement and community-based organizations. Through these comprehensive actions, we will work to restore New Yorkers’ sense of safety and community by tripling the state’s gun violence intelligence resources, providing$13.1 million to expand the use of Community Stabilization Units, tripling investment in New York’s SNUG outreach program, and allocating $20 million to respond to regional needs in the aftermath of gun violence.
Tax Relief for Middle-Class New Yorkers and Small Businesses
The Budget will accelerate tax relief to middle-class New Yorkers, the backbone of our economy, by providing the fully implemented reduced tax rates beginning in Tax Year 2023, to deliver relief to 6.1 million New Yorkers.
Small businesses were hit particularly hard by the pandemic downturn. The Budget also provides significant support for New York’s small businesses, including a new capped refundable tax relief program targeting Covid-19-related expenses. The program provides up to$250 million in additional relief to small businesses.
The Budget also creates a new property tax relief credit, the Homeowner Tax Rebate Credit, for eligible low- and middle-income households, as well as eligible senior households. Under this program, basic STAR exemption and credit beneficiaries with incomes below $250,000 and Enhanced STAR recipients are eligible for the property tax rebate where the benefit is a percentage of the homeowners’ existing STAR benefit.This $2.2 billion investment will help approximately2.5 million homeowners.
Suspending Fuel Taxes
To tackle the high cost of fuel, which has surged in recent months as a result of the war in Ukraine, New York will suspend the state sales tax imposed on fuel, the motor fuel tax, and the metropolitan commuter transportation district sales tax imposed on gasoline and highway diesel from June through December 2022, providing an estimated $585 million in relief for working families and businesses statewide.
The State will make roads and bridges and public transit entities such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and local transit systems throughout the state whole by replacing estimated lost tax revenue using the State General Fund.Additionally, localities would have the option to cap the price their applicable local sales tax rate is imposed on at $4 per gallon.
Making Critical Reforms to Restore Faith in Government
The Budget will improve ethics oversight and restore New Yorkers’ trust in state government by creating a new entity, the “Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government,” to replace the broken Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Nominees for the 11-member Commission will be put forward by the Governor, Senate, Assembly, Comptroller, and Attorney General and then reviewed by law school deans for approval or denial.
The Commission will work differently and more transparently than before with special voting requirements eliminated, the body and votes subject to the Open Meetings Law and FOIL, any breach of confidentiality referable to the Attorney General, and improved training of staff and notice to victims who have suffered harm by their perpetrators. The Commission is also required to hold an annual meeting to report on its activities and hear feedback from the public and any findings must be reported in 20 days, down from the previous 45 days. The Budget also includes measures to increase transparency, such as adding domestic partners to be disclosed in financial disclosure forms.
To-Go Cocktails
The Budget will allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages “to go” for off-premises consumption.To-go drinks were a critical revenue stream for New York’s bars and restaurants during the pandemic, helping many small businesses across the state pay their rent or mortgages. The Budget will continue supporting the recovery of bars and restaurants. The new policy addresses the concerns of small businesses operating liquor stores – by requiring food orders, sealed containers, and no bottle sales. Additionally, requiring sealed containers, coupled with open container laws in effect in every municipality of the state, will ensure concerns of public drinking are addressed. The Budget also calls for a comprehensive look at all Alcohol and Beverage Control laws to ensure they are applied and updated relating to this new legislation.
Since the governor proposed her Executive Budget in January, additional revenue has been forecast and surplus funds have been realized. The total Budget for FY 2023 is currently estimated at approximately $221 billion, based on a preliminary assessment of the negotiated changes to the Executive proposal. The spending plan will include the $2 billion for pandemic assistance that Governor Hochul indicated was available for use when the Executive Budget was released in January, but had not been included as a spending line-item.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 10 April 2022 at 8:06 am
With many schools on Easter break this coming week will feature a number of non league baseball and softball contests.
The local baseball matchups will include Barker at Lyndonville on Monday and Kendall at Albion and Barker at Holley on Tuesday.
A local Genesee Region League softball matchup will have Holley at Kendall on Tuesday.
Weekly Schedule Monday Baseball – Albion at Kenmore East, 11 a.m.; Roy-Hart at Lew-Port, 1 p.m.; Alden at Medina, Barker at Lyndonville, 4:30 p.m. Softball – Monroe at Kendall, 4 p.m. Tennis – Barker at Kendall, 4:15 p.m.
Tuesday Baseball – Roy-Hart at Sweet Home 12 p.m.; Kendall at Albion, Barker at Holley, 4:45 p.m. Softball – Holley at Kendall, 5 p.m.
Wednesday Baseball – Roy-Hart at Lockport, 12 p.m.; Kendall at Barker, Cleveland Hill at Medina, 4:30 p.m. Softball – Lyndonville at Barker, 4:30 p.m. Tennis – Holley at Wheatland-Chili, 4 p.m. Track – Kendall at Wheatland-Chili at Holley, 4 p.m.
Thursday Baseball – Newfane at Lyndonville, 4:30 p.m. Tennis – Kendall at Holley, 4 p.m.
Friday Baseball – Roy-Hart at Maryvale, 12 p.m.; City Honors at Medina, 4:30 p.m.
BATAVIA – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council announced $107,800 in grants for artists, community organizations and municipalities to support concerts and other cultural activities in 2022.
