Republican View: Breaking down the budget season grind

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. 

Budget season grinds forward, and from observing recent meetings, I’ve learned that every county department has been asked to cut 5%. Sales tax revenue is about $2.5 million lower than expected. Despite these cuts, taxes are still increasing. According to a press release from the county, “The $252.3M recommended budget includes a 4.34% property tax levy increase, which would result in a $138 increase in the property tax bill for the owner of a median-priced ($300,000) home.”

Tompkins County is also facing a rise in homelessness and has yet to be reimbursed for last year’s Code Blue expenses, which total around $2 million. It’s uncertain whether the county will be fully reimbursed for these funds, and Albany’s funding for Code Blue in the coming year seems unlikely to be as generous. Due to a lack of available hotels, the county has decided to create a temporary homeless shelter at the former Key Bank building at 300 North Tioga Street, just a block from the Commons and around the corner from the Legislature itself. This property was originally purchased by the county as part of its plan to build a new Center of Government building.

Currently, the county is sheltering 112 homeless individuals—89 adults and 23 children—and is seeing more families with children who have no place to live. Last January, the county reached a peak of 172 people in shelter. The new shelter will provide beds for approximately 80 people, offering congregate living conditions instead of individual rooms. While far from ideal, this setup is seen as necessary to prevent people from freezing during the winter. Unfortunately, the existing homeless shelter on State Street has been a hotspot for police calls, overdoses, and other disturbances, and it’s likely the new shelter will inspire similar activity.

Recently, the Legislature voted to allow Tompkins County Probation to begin developing a policy to arm seven probation officers involved with the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) program. These officers conduct searches of individuals they supervise during home visits. According to probation director Dan Cornell, many of those under supervision were not considered good candidates for probation but were placed on probation due to judicial decisions. These individuals have been convicted of gun crimes, with many also involved in the drug trade. The proposal to arm probation officers has been controversial, with numerous local activists, community members, and even legislators voicing objections. Nonetheless, the risks these officers face during searches are real—more than 20 firearms have been recovered since GIVE began, including a loaded AR-15.

In August, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the new Asteri Conference Center and apartments on Green Street in the City of Ithaca. The Asteri apartments include 40 units specifically reserved for individuals transitioning from homelessness. Numerous local elected officials attended, including State Senator Lea Webb, Assemblymember Anna Kelles, and Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado. However, the press conference made no mention of the overdoses, fires, fights, and other disturbances that have plagued the building. According to the Ithaca Police Community Dashboard, there have been 180 calls to the apartments and conference center, despite the building being occupied for only a few months. The building’s manager has already resigned, and security guards contracted to patrol the premises have withdrawn their services. It is my understanding this was due to threats from residents and the fact that Asteri’s owner, The Vecino Group, did not allow the guards to carry even non-lethal self-defense tools.

Earlier this year, the county funded a ‘Move-In Coordinator’ for Asteri and Arthaus (another troubled property owned by Vecino) through The Vecino Group’s nonprofit arm, allocating $95,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds. This position was meant to ease the transition of the homeless population into their new apartments. Asteri has also received millions in tax breaks, with its conference center supported in part by the 5% room tax paid by hotel and Airbnb guests. Unfortunately, Asteri has become a heavy drain on first responder resources, with frequent visits from police, fire department, and ambulance services. The Vecino Group has passed the costs of managing their properties onto the public. The Asteri project, like Arthaus, is quite literally your tax dollars at work.

The public will have an opportunity to share their thoughts on the proposed budget during the Budget Forum on September 30th at 5:30 PM. You can participate in person at the Legislature at 121 E. Court Street, join via Zoom, or submit comments online at the Tompkins County website at the following link –https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/ctyadmin/2025budget .