Connection, a Conference and Common Ground

Last month, Tompkins County Legislator Greg Mezey and I attended the National Association of Counties annual conference in Washington, D.C. We met county legislators from around the United States and attended breakout sessions covering topics such as affordable housing, mental health, childcare, and broadband Internet. We learned a great deal, including the fact that every county appears to have the same struggles as we do.  

That’s why we are grateful for the $19.5 million Tompkins County received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). President Joe Biden championed ARPA as a way to offset the economic losses people and businesses suffered during the covid-19 pandemic. Because of ARPA the county legislature was able to direct funding to address priorities like homelessness, mental health, and childcare. The legislature also put $6.53 million into a “recovery fund” for eligible local businesses, nonprofits and organizations.   

We set aside the remainder of the money for capital projects within the county. Much of it went to agencies that work in those priority areas: Meals on Wheels, St. John’s homeless shelter, and the Greater Ithaca Activities Center. You can see the full list of awards on our website. 

We received 231 applications for capital funds—a good gauge of need in our county. While I’m thankful for the chance to create many life-changing opportunities for our constituents, we could have had double the funds and still not been able to grant all of the requests. Organizations that advocate for farming, small businesses and arts and culture felt left out of the process. I hope that our community will be able to support them in the future.

My favorite part of my Washington trip was spent sitting in the Senate gallery watching the February 13 voting session. I was surprised to see that between votes, there was not just conversation but true camaraderie among senators. Never did I think I would see a fist bump between Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Lindsey Graham. Our own senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, went back and forth between Democrats and Republicans, clearly negotiating middle ground.  

I’ve always said that we don’t really engage in party politics on the local level. It turns out that when the Senate convenes to do business, there is far less hostility between Democrats and Republicans than certain news media would like you to believe. Likewise, when President Biden gave a speech to a crowd of 1,500 at the closing session of the NAC conference, I was shocked to see everyone rise to their feet when he was introduced.One thing I have learned over the past five years in the legislature is that our most important tool is connection. Watching the senators at work confirmed that for me. When it comes to politics, we all want to serve our constituents and represent them well. There will always be disagreements over the best way to do that. It’s on us to find common ground. 

Shawna Black joined the Tompkins County Legislature in November 2017 and has served as its chair since 2021. She lives in the Town of Ithaca with her wife, Margot, and three children. She enjoys living in the Northeast area and spends her free time with her family, reading, and traveling.