Local mismanagement, statewide failures: A warning for the year ahead

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this column are those of author Zachary Winn and are not representative of the thoughts or opinions of Tompkins Weekly.

The last month of the year has been as eventful as the first eleven. Deb Molenhoff, City Manager for the City of Ithaca, tendered her resignation after a request by the Common Council. Selected as the first city manager from a pool of 70 applicants, Molenhoff had helped create the job description for the position. As one of two finalists, her appointment gave the appearance of a process with a predetermined outcome, itself a familiar phenomenon in Ithaca politics. The $2.1 million budget shortfall that occurred under her watch was almost certainly a major factor in her departure.

There are deeper concerns that extend beyond a single resignation. The city’s audits are now four years behind, a failure that has resulted in Ithaca losing its bond rating and paying higher borrowing costs. This breakdown in basic financial oversight dates back to the administration of former Mayor Svante Myrick. Whether due to incompetence or something more troubling, the lack of transparency has left taxpayers in the dark and city finances in disarray.

The shift to a city manager form of government was itself proposed by Myrick and supported by a lobbying effort from Ithacans for Reimagining Public Safety, an entity promoted and organized by his then employer, People For the American Way, an organization he now leads as president. Molenhoff and Myrick were close political allies dating back to her time on the Common Council. At a minimum, her tenure raises serious questions about whether the city manager system was designed to provide accountability or to shield prior leadership from scrutiny.

Molenhoff’s resignation comes with a generous severance package amounting to a year’s salary of $170,000, along with a non-disparagement agreement between her and the city. That agreement provides a convenient justification for not explaining to the public what actually transpired inside City Hall and why the city now finds itself in such a precarious financial position.

These local failures mirror broader political developments across New York State. Rep. Elise Stefanik’s surprise announcement that she will not run for governor in 2026 clears the way for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to pursue the state’s highest office. Blakeman will face the winner of the Democratic primary, where Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado is challenging Governor Kathy Hochul. Delgado has positioned himself to Hochul’s left on several issues, though his chances of securing the nomination remain uncertain. An ideal scenario would see Delgado running as a third-party candidate, splitting the Democratic vote and helping Blakeman secure the governorship.

Policy choices coming out of Albany continue to raise alarms. Governor Hochul recently negotiated bringing Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) into law, allowing individuals with terminal illnesses to end their lives through medical intervention. While framed as compassionate and currently limited in scope, Canada’s experience with a similar program is instructive. There, MAID now accounts for more than 5 percent of all deaths. Reports from Canada describe vulnerable populations, including veterans and people with disabilities, feeling pressured to consider MAID, sometimes as an alternative to inadequate medical services or even homelessness.

At the same time, New York has come under scrutiny for improperly issuing more than 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. One such case involved Huang Yisong, who was charged with vehicular homicide after a fatal crash in Tennessee while using a New York State issued CDL. As a result, $73 million in federal highway funds are threatened unless the state fixes its licensing system and revokes improperly issued CDLs.

Prioritizing ideology over competent leadership, New York State increasingly fails in its most basic responsibilities to its citizens. The Hochul administration appears willing to embrace policies that end lives while simultaneously tolerating failures that put innocent people in harm’s way.

January 1 marks not only the start of a new year, but the beginning of the midterm election cycle. If recent election results are any indication, Republicans face a difficult road ahead. Without Donald Trump on the ballot, and with his unpopularity at a zenith, turnout will be more vital than ever if Republicans intend to retain a majority in the House and Senate.

Until then, enjoy the peace of the holiday season while it lasts. To all my fellow Republicans, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.