Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-SPCC-2023-10-11SPECIAL COMMON COUNCIL Voting Record Date: Wednesday, October 11th 2023 Location: City Hall, 108 E. Green Street 3rd Floor, Council Chambers Meeting Called to order: 6:02 P.M. Meeting Adjourned: 7:16 P.M. YouTube Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0at5yy4pDtE&list=PLfplo_VA57eoynrqxkGvi11vxHlwByjZw &index=2 Attendance Record of Voting Members Name Present (In Person) Remote Absent / Excused Mayor – Laura Lewis X 1st Ward – Cynthia Brock X 1st Ward – George McGonigal X 2nd Ward – Phoebe Brown X 2nd Ward - Ducson Nguyen X 3rd Ward- Donna Fleming X 3rd Ward – Rob Gearhart X 4th Ward – Jorge DeFendini X 4th Ward - Tiffany Kumar X 5th Ward – Robert Cantelmo X 5th Ward - Kris Haines-Sharp X Total voting members for this meeting 10 Agenda Item 1. Call to Order YouTube Timestamp: 0:06 Discussion Summary: Mayor Lewis reminded all present this is a Special Meeting of Council, and there will be no public Comments. Mayor Lewis went over Emergency Evacuation procedures. 1.1 Agenda Review YouTube Timestamp: 1:08 Discussion: Mayor Lewis reviewed the Topic for Tonight’s agenda. Reminded Council this agenda was Tabled until the October 11th Special Council Meeting. Gave a Brief summary from when the Resolution was introduced on September 20th, then tabled until this October 11th meeting allowing three (3) weeks of time for greater Public Comments. Thanked Alderperson Cantelmo for organizing two Town Halls that were reasonably attended and thank all who provided and submitted Written Comments. Agenda Item 2. Resolution to Authorize Amended MOU for Voluntary Contribution by Cornell Motion to Amend 1st and 2nd Resolved. YouTube Timestamp: 2:02 1st Resolved- change” each year for 20 years” to” each year for 10 years” Cantelmo Moved to amend from 10 years to 15 Years- Accepted as Friendly by Alderperson DeFendini. 2nd Resolved- last sentence after herein, include “which reflects changes from October 11th, 2023, that amend Item 6 of The Undertakings to now read…” The city further agrees that during the life of this Memorandum of Understanding it will not commence or support litigation seeking a change in that status of the University, Resolve, the first sentence of Section 8 of the undertakings section of such memorandum of understanding shall end with the date June 30, 2039, rather than June 30, 2044 Moved By: Alderperson Cantelmo Seconded by: Alderperson DeFendini Discussion Summary: Resolution was tabled at the September 20th meeting until October 11th, 2023 6 pm. Mayor Lewis invited Amendments to the MOU that is On The Table. Mayor Lewis spoke to the amendment by sharing with Council, that a 10-year term is not plausible as Cornell will not support anything below a 15-year length of term; there is willingness on the part of Cornell to be flexible and move from 20 years down to 15 years. Voting on a 15 Year agreement brings the last payment from Cornell to July 15th 3038, expiring at the end of June 2039 on Cornell’s Fiscal Year Calander. Friendly Amendment by Alderperson Brock: add the word “modifies” to first resolve to read “Modifies, approves, and ratifies the Term Sheet” (Timestamp: 57:58) Vote Passed 9-1 Member All In Favor Oppose Abstain Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Donna Fleming X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Tiffany Kumar X Robert Cantelmo X Kris Haines-Sharp X Motion to Amend Alderperson Cantelmo’s Amendment Amendment- Amend term to 7 Years, CPI plus 2 % and deleting the 2nd sentence in section 6 in its entirety. YouTube Timestamp: 17:57 Moved by: Alderperson Brock Seconded by: Alderperson Kumar Vote Failed- 8-2 Member All In Favor Oppose Abstain Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Donna Fleming X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Tiffany Kumar X Robert Cantelmo X Kris Haines-Sharp X Motion to Amend YouTube Timestamp: 1:02:56 Amendment- Offer 2 Resolves; 1st Resolve include, first sentence of section two of the undertaking sections of such memorandum of understanding shall read “Not later than July 15 2024 the university and city will jointly appoint a City- Cornell permanent working group comprising three (3) Executive Officers of the University and the City Manager and two (2 )Members of the City of Ithaca Common Council additionally including the Mayor at the Mayor's option as such option may be exercised by the Mayor from time to time” 2nd Resolve- RESOLVED, that section 7(f) of the Undertakings section of such Memorandum of Understanding shall read: “In each calendar year, the University’s contribution shall be made not later than July 15. For the avoidance of doubt, the final payment under this MOU is intended to occur no later than July 15, 2038.”; and be it further Moved By: Alderperson Brock Seconded By: Alderperson Cantelmo Discussion Summary: City Attorney recommended Council amend section 7F for a more precise way to add the second Resolved. Vote Pass: 10-0 Member All In Favor Oppose Abstain Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Donna Fleming X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Tiffany Kumar X Robert Cantelmo X Kris Haines-Sharp X Final Vote on Resolution as Amended Resolution to Authorize Amended MOU for Voluntary Contribution by Cornell YouTube Timestamp: 1:15:53 Vote Pass: 9-1 Member All In Favor Oppose Abstain Cynthia Brock x George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Donna Fleming X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Tiffany Kumar X Robert Cantelmo X Kris Haines-Sharp X Agenda Item 3. Meeting Adjourn YouTube Timestamp: 1:16:38 Moved By: Alderperson Cantelmo Seconded By: Alderperson Nguyen All In Favor 10-0 Member All In Favor Oppose Abstain Cynthia Brock X George McGonigal X Phoebe Brown X Ducson Nguyen X Donna Fleming X Rob Gearhart X Jorge DeFendini X Tiffany Kumar X Robert Cantelmo X Kris Haines-Sharp X Resolution to Authorize Amended MOU for Voluntary Contribution by Cornell WHEREAS, for over 150 years, the City of Ithaca and Cornell have recognized the importance of each entity to the other; and WHEREAS, despite the tremendous overall economic impact that Cornell brings to the region and the city, it bears a moral obligation to support its host city with direct financial contributions of a scale commensurate with its leading role in the community; and WHEREAS, Cornell’s tax-exempt real estate holdings in the city represent nearly half of the city’s assessed property value (roughly 45% as last calculated); and WHEREAS, under its now-expiring agreement with the City, Cornell contributed $1.6 million to the City in 2023 and, due to expiration of that agreement, is not currently scheduled to make any payment to the City in 2024 or thereafter; and WHEREAS, the City and Cornell held a series of negotiating sessions since April, and the Common Council received multiple briefings on the progress of those negotiations; and WHEREAS, the City benchmarked its proposals across those negotiations against 25% of approximately $33 million in property taxes that Cornell would pay were its property taxable, or roughly $8 million, against which it provided Cornell with some credit for the many municipal-like services that Cornell provides in lieu of City expenditures on the same; and WHEREAS, as of August 11, Cornell stated that its final offer was approximately $3.15 million per year, to which the City responded by proposing approximately $5 million per year; and WHEREAS, beginning on September 7, an additional round of negotiations commenced in which Cornell and the City expressed a willingness to meet at the mid-point of their previous proposals; and WHEREAS, this round of negotiations resulted in an agreement in principle—subject to approval by the Common Council and the Cornell Board of Trustees—that has garnered the support of the administrations at both the City and Cornell; and WHEREAS, that agreement in principle, as reflected in the Term Sheet included herein, increases Cornell’s current annual payment of approximately $1.6 million to $4 million, including an approximately $2.4 million true-up payment to be made within 30 days of execution, thus providing the City and its residents immediate and significant new financial resources; and WHEREAS, across the next two decades, this agreement in principle is anticipated, with inflation adjustments, to result in total payments by Cornell to the City in excess of $100 million; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Common Council modifies, approves and ratifies the Term Sheet included herein, specifying that Cornell shall commence annual payment to the City of $4 million, plus upward adjustments for inflation, each year for 15 years, beginning in 2023 and ending in 2039; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Mayor is authorized, on the advice of the City Attorney, to execute an amended Memorandum of Understanding Between the City of Ithaca and Cornell University, reflecting the foregoing Term Sheet, in a form substantially similar to the amended Memorandum of Understanding included herein; and be it further RESOLVED, that the first sentence of section 2 of the Undertakings section of such Memorandum of Understanding shall read “Not later than July 15, 2024, the University and the City will jointly appoint a Cornell-City of Ithaca permanent working group, comprising three executive officers of the University and the City Manager and two members of the City of Ithaca Common Council, additionally including the Mayor at the Mayor’s option, as such option may be exercised by the Mayor from time to time.”; and be it further RESOLVED, that the second sentence of section 6 of the Undertakings section of such Memorandum of Understanding shall specifically read “The City further agrees that during the life of this Memorandum of Understanding it will not commence or support litigation seeking a change in that status of the University.”; and be it further RESOLVED, that section 7(f) of the Undertakings section of such Memorandum of Understanding shall read: “In each calendar year, the University’s contribution shall be made not later than July 15. For the avoidance of doubt, the final payment under this MOU is intended to occur no later than July 15, 2038.”; and be it further RESOLVED, that the first sentence of section 8 of the Undertakings section of such Memorandum of Understanding shall end with the date “June 30, 2039” rather than “June 30, 2044.” Carried 9-1 (Brock) Online Form Submittal: Common Council Public Comment Form noreply@civicplus.com < noreply@civicplus.com > lVon 1019i2023 10:00 Alt/ To:Common Council <council@cityofithaca.org>;Laura Lewis <MayorLewis@cityofithaca.org>;Deb Mohlenhoff <dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org>;Clerk <clerk@cityofithaca.org>;Alan Karasin <AKarasin@cityofithaca.org>;Shaniqua Lewis < slewis@cityofithaca.org > Common Council Public Comment Form First Name John Last Name Graves Street Address E tVunicipality *Note this may be different from your zip code State Topic of Discussion Your Comments NY Ithaca City/Cornell tVlOU This petition was posted 9129123 on the South Hill listserv "No 20-Year Dealand No Gag Order" Petition Cornell is once again throwing its weight around. They have offered a 2l-year agreement tied to the cost-of-living index. This means that in 20 years their contribution of $4lM will have even less worth than it does today. And in 2A44,it will still equal less money than many peer institutions are giving their host communities now in 2023. This is a proposal of diminishing returns that should have never left the closed-door negotiating room. Perhaps most troubling is that this agreement ties the city's hands and potentially residents' hands as well from pursuing legislative and legal remedies, which we all know are ultimately what are needed. Clause 6 in the agreement is basically a gag order. fMulti-billion-dollar corporations don't part with their money until they're forced to do it. Don't tie our handsl There are several avenues to pursue in this arena: changes on the state level that would allow taxation of property that does not fall into a strictly educational category, like in New Hampshire where dormitories are taxed along with dining halls, cafes, the campus store, the school hotel, etc. We want to be free to lobby for this change in NYS. lt's long overdue. Then there is the endowment tax. Only the richest schools, about 40 in total, are subject to this tax. lf your endowment equals more than $500,000 per student. you are now liable to pay the federal government a 1.4alo excise tax. What if that money or a portion of it were to be sent to local host communities instead of the federal treasury. This would be a national effort we could spearhead. Cornell's 2021 endowment return was 41.9o/o, apparently larger than a typical return. They made $2.8B. Looks like it would have been a $391V tax billfor them that year payable to the feds. Yes, all the schools subject to this now have been lobbying for several years to get this repealed. Opposing bills increasing the amount of the tax have also been introduced. Then there'sthe..legal chaHemge that involves the commercialization of research. Cornell posted revenue of $37lvl last year from royalties. Tax free. This is what the Princeton lawsuit was based on. https/www,tnsjdehtghered.com/news/20 1 611 0/2 1 lp_rueelg5: settlement-leaves-door-opqLIuturc:Ia&exepplto4rh_B.[le-! ges httpSrllheeleilyrecord.com/20 1 6/ffi pj!-[-Aelg&w!]Lpay:l_gr!: to-settle-residents-tax-ca se/ Citizens challenged Princeton's non-profit status based on the revenue it receives from licenses, royalties and patents. All big research institutions are vulnerable to this and as the collective lvy League endowment continues to balloon, this issue will become ever more debated. ln 25 years, it is estimated that the lvy League combined endowments willtopple $lTRlLL|ON. Let's tell City Hall - No 2O-Year Deal and No Gag Order! Go back to the drawing board and demand a shortterm deal. short-term as in 2 years and tell Cornellwe will not agree to having our hands tied. We must not be bullied! # Name Address 1 - John Graves 319 Pleasant Street, lthaca 2 - Rita Graves 319 Pleasant Street, lthaca 3 - lVarjorie Olds 100 Renzetti Place, lthaca 4 - Bryan lsacks 100 Renzetti Place, lthaca 5 - Munna Rubaii 133 Crescent Placa, lthaca 6 - John Efroymson 408 Columbia Street, lthaca 7 - Elizabeth Reiter 410 Columbia Street, lthaca B - Allison Trdan 311 Turner Placa, lthaca I - Kurl tVarlin 311 Turner Placa, lthaca 10 - Sally Lockwood 641 Hudson Street, lthaca 11 -Al Plue 209 East King Road, tthaca 12 - Dawn Plue 209 East King Road, lthaca 13 - Carl Schofield 14 Hawthorne Circle, lthaca Contact lnformation 14 - Elke Schofield '14 Hawthorne Circle, lthaca 15 - lan Golden 517 Hudson Street, lthaca 16 - Sherry Golden 517 Hudson Street, lthaca 17 - Ashley tMiller 126 Sears Street, lthaca '18 - Mary Corsaro '138 Pearsall Place, lthaca 19 - Louisa Sandvik 16"1 Pearsall Place, lthaca 20 - Adam Bryant W. Yates Street, lthaca 21 - Sarah Fern 605 Hudson Street, lthaca 22 - Sheila lVcEnery '125 Pearsall Place, lthaca 23 - John Fleischauer 125 Pearsall Plaza, lthaca 24 - Carolyn Chang 315 Columbia Street, lthaca johngraves3l 9@gmail"com Email not displaying correctly? View it in your !p1y9g1 Online Form Submittal: Common Council Public Comment Form noreply@civicplus.com < noreply@civicplus.com > Iue 1A/10/2023 12:16 PM To:Common Council <council@cityofithaca.org>;Laura Lewis <Mayorlewis@cityofithaca.org>;Deb Mohlenhoff <dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org>;Clerk <clerk@cityofithaca.org>;Alan Karasin <AKarasin@cityofithaca.org>;Shaniqua Lewis < slewis@cityofithaca.org > Common Council Public Comment Form First Name Anne Last Nanre Hamilton Street Address - Municipality .Note this may be different from your zip code State Topic of Discussion Your Comments Ithaca NY Delay the schedule vote on the MOU regarding Cornell payment of taxes to the City of lthaca on October 11th As the co-owner of two properties in the City of lthaca, I urge you on October 11, 2023 to delay the t\,{OU that the City has prepared with Cornell University. lf the vote is called, I urge you to reject this N/OU. And in the future, please do not bring in h,4r. l\lalina or another Cornell representative to answer questions from the public during Common Council meetings. You need to inform yourselves as Common Council members, and you need to communicate with the city residents. You represent me. Cornell is the opponent. Realize this and act accordingly The IMOU prepared for the October 6,2An vote was crafted in secrel, and taxpayers were not notified of details regarding negotiations. Please do not vote on this entirely inadequate proposalfor compensation from Cornell. The MOU on the table is not acceptable in any way. lf urge you to delay a vote untilthe Council has informed the public of details of this proposal, and until it has completed the period and all tasks of allowing public feedback. Please follow the law regarding public involvement in matters that will affect our lives for decades. I refuse to pay such a high amount of propefly and school taxes, and then to be expected to pay even more when there is an entity with billions of dollars which refuses to pay anything but a tiny token. Contact lnformation I am extremely unhappy with the way that these talks have gone on in secret, and the fact that the public was only given some details a few days before the October 6th vote on the MOU was scheduled. This is completely unacceptable. Cornell needs to pay for the gigantic share of the public resources that it consumes. The City of lthaca needs to petition lawmakers to change the law and remove the gag order that it has been working under. The Common Council's behavior is placing a real threat of insolvency as well as the likelihood of extreme hardship on the residents and taxpayers in this city. You have a vote. You have power in your hands to reject an utterly unacceptable tMOU. You have power in your hands to craft an IVOU that makes Cornell pay appropriately an*proportionately. Do not pass another agreement that gives them a free pass for decades. Craft a new proposed IVIOU and release it in full in a timely manner so that I can read it and give feedback. hamiltonlit@hotmail.com Email not displaying correctly? View it in ypglppvygel Online Form Submittal: Common Council Public Comment Form noreply@civicplus.com < noreply@civicplus.com > Tue 10/10/2023 1126 Pitl To:Common Council <council@cityofithaca.org>;Laura Lewis <MayorLewis@cityofithaca.org>;Deb Mohlenhoff <dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org>;Clerk <clerk@cityofithaca.org>;Alan Karasin <AKarasin@cityofithaca.org>;Shaniqua Lewis < slewis@cityofithaca.org > Common Council Public Comment Form First Name Eti Last Name l\,4arshall Street Address - [Vunicipality .Note this may be different from your zip code State Topic of Discussion Your Comments 14850 NY IVIoU - please request a 1-year agreement to allow for more time I am writing in support of an interim one-year N,loU with Cornell, to allow for more time for substantive public input, working also with ICSD and the County, and eventually leading to a holistic re-negotiation which addresses both a higher PILOT, as well as consideration of other ways of harnessing and channeling Cornell's enormous economic impact (both positive and negative) and other impacts on the region. That is my primary comment I will also include a letter to my neighborhood listserv I wrote in response to the recent "lVythaca" Op-ed by George Frantz. lVy letter follows: ilt According to figures I've found, it looks like we spend only slightly more, about 12o/o,lhan Saratoga Springs, one of the examples in the article. And when we consider what our local inequality looks like, how much work our city needs, and who actually ends up paying, I think it becomes clear that lhe 12% extra still isn't enough spending (and yet is too much for those who are currently footing the bill!). 1. The per-person figures lf we have 62,000 people living here (32,000 full time residents plus 25,000 Cornell and 5,000 lC) and our 2023 budget was about $90mil, then the City of lthaca is spending about $1,450 per person. Saratoga Springs has about 45,000 people (28,000 residents plus about 17,000 students). Their budgetfor 2023 appears to be around $S8mil. That's $1,290 per person. Itlaybe my flgures are wrong - please let me know -- or maybe some students are counted as residents and vice versa. But I see little rationale for not counting students in local city spending! Everything from emergency services to infrastructure are used - and other streams not in the city budget, like their kids' public schools. Anyway, the per-person spending exercise only goes so far -- at a minimum, weH need to corltpare county-level spending and school district spending, too. 2. Who's contributing? Where it might make sense to not count students is in contribution to revenue -- those who reside on campus are not paying prcperty tax (or rent in lieu of property tax). ln lthaca, even though there are 62,000 people who are living here, there are only perhaps 44,000 people contributing to a big property taxlrent portion af the Sg0mil revenue of the City. (And, for that matter, it would be interesting to know how much other revenue streams work in Saratoga, like business property tax, contributing to revenue, compared with lthaca.) 3. lnequality is worse in lthaca There's one statistic that really sits with me: Tompkins County appears to be the most unequal (Gini coefficient) county in all of NY State (behind only NYC and Westchester county)-- and I think that's only looking at incomes. So, even if we are richer when we count up all the money, or look at average income, or need to spend 12o/o more than Saratoga at the City level, it also appears that a lot of us are a lot poorer. And households -- decent incomes and struggling alike -- are seeing larger chunks of that income go toward lthaca's other unfortunate statlstic: high rents and propefty taxes (which impact the lower and middle spectrum of incomes most). Please let me know if I've made any gross errors in my (rough) numbers, but my back-of-the-envelope figures seem to paint a very different picture about spending and wealth than the op-ed suggests. Other interpretations also welconre. Finding ways to address the egregious inequality and wear and tear -- doing both of which would help 100% of us -- is what I hope Council sees as their job! Online Form Submittal: Csmmon Council Public Comment Form noreply@civicplus.com < noreply@civicplus.com > Tue 10110/2023 2:30 PL/ To:Common Council <council@cityofithaca.org>;Laura Lewis <Mayorlewis@cityofithaca.org>;Deb Mohlenhoff <dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org>;Clerk <clerk@cityofithaca.org>;Alan Karasin <AKarasin@cityofithaca.org>;Shaniqua Lewis < slewis@cityofithaca.org > Common Council Public Comment Form First Name Last Name lVarshall Street Address es [Vlunicipality *Note this may be different from your zip code State Topic of Discussion Your Comments 14850 NY minor amendment to my comment I would like to amend a comment from my previous letter (though my request still holds): ln case I was mistaken and there are a total of 32,000 people in Ithaca /including/ students, -the city spending, I concur, would be around $2,070 per resident for Saratoga and about $2,800 per lthacan * which would be 35% more here. (But like I mentioned, we would best compare school and county all as one package, and I have no idea how that would pan out in either direction.) --my "who's contributing" argument would still hold -some 10,000 or 15,000 people who are not contributing to revenue in the form of rents and property taxes, because they are housed on campus. ln my view, that would still be reason to ask for a flnancial commitment from Cornell, who is housing most of them * and, yet, to also ask Cornellto build new housing, so as to have less of a housing crunch. elimarshall@gmail.comContact lnformation Email not displaying correctly? View it in ygg&rc1yget ctiLil Online Form Submittal: Common Council Public Comment Form noreply@civicplus.com < noreply@civicplus.com > Iue 10/14/2023 6:29 Plt/ To:Common Council <council@cityofithaca.org>;Laura Lewis <MayorLewis@cityofithaca.org>;Deb Mohlenhoff <dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org>;Clerk <clerk@cityofithaca.org>;Alan Karasin <AKarasin@cityofithaca.org>;Shaniqua Lewis < slewis@cityof ithaca.org > Common Council Public Comment Form First Name Joanne Last Name Trutko Street Address - lVunicipality *Note this may be different from your zip code State Topic of Discussion Your Comments 14850 NY lVloU between City of lthaca and Cornell University Dear Common Council, I urge you to modify two provisions of the new lrloU offer by Cornell University's administration. First, I urge Councilto modify this agreement so it is in effect for 1-5 years rather than 20 years. While this may introduce uncefiainty on Cornell's long-term commitment to our community, given the ever changing economic and financial situations, I believe a shorter contract would allow the city to recalibrate the agreement to reflect inflation and unexpected financial impacts on future city budgets over two decades. While Cornell administration has offered an increase with this contract, this offer does not help cover increased expenses already incurred by the university's operations on our community. Cornell 's student population has ballooned to over 25K and by Cornell's own estimates the visitor numbers (based on financials) are substantial. The staff is nearly 13K. All these individuals use a myriad of city and county, services - roads and bridges and sidewalks, public amenities and parks, police, fire and rescue services, traffic safety, criminaljustice, drug and alcohol emergency response, trash and recycling, city lights, public health, snow removal, street cleaning and repair, and much, much more. These costs will only continue to grow over the next two decades. Secondly, as I understand, there is a provisiorr committing the Contact lnfornration city to not to participate in any state legislative push to make colleges to more accurately and equitably pay real estate taxes. I believe this provision is undemocratic. Our city government and its agents should not be restricted from representing the will of the citizens of lthaca. The citizens of Ithaca should be able to petition our local and state government for action on our behalf. Please delete this from the t\4oU before signing this agreement. I appreciate that the Cornell University administrators represent a big, powerful, and wealthy institution. I am grateful that the university provides employment and pays taxes on some of the enterprises it operates. I am likewise appreciative that, like Ithaca city residents and businesses do, it pays municipalfees. But, as Frederick0&iglas Baid, "Power concedes nothing without a demand; it never did and it never will." Cornell Unversity adopted as a guiding Core Value in 2019: " we value engagement in our community, our state and the broader world, learning about their needs and strengths...." I hope Cornell values this input reflecting our needs. I hope that you will demonstrate your strength by demanding the two revisions from Cornell University administration that I have requested. Thank you for your attention Cordially, Joanne Trutko Joannetrutko@gmai l.com Email not displaying correctly? View it in your prolygel Online Form Submittal: Common Council Public Comment Forrn noreply@civicplus.com < noreply@civicplus.com > Tue 10/1012023 9:23 Pl',4 To:Common Council <council@cityofithaca.org>;Laura Lewis <Mayorlewis@cityofithaca.org>;Deb Mohlenhoff <dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org>;Clerk <clerk@cityofithaca.org>;Alan Karasin <AKarasin@cityofithaca.org>;Shaniqua Lewis < slewis@cityofithaca.org > Common Council Public Comment Form First Name Ivlary N Last Name Woods Street Address I\,4unicipality *Note this may be different from your zip code State Topic of Discurssion 14850 New York Cornell's proposed ti/OU with the City of lthaca Your Comments Dear f\layor Lewis and Common Council lVembers Brock, t\,4cGoniga l, Brown, N guyen. Fleming, Gearhart. DeFendini, Kurnar, Haines-Sharp, and Cantelmo, I strongly urge you to reject Corneil's offer of four million dollars to the city of lthaca. lt is a sum in no way commensurate with the burdens on city services and infrastructure that Cornell imposes on the city of lthaca and the surrounding area. As you know all too well, Cornell's exemption from property taxes inflates the taxes of city residents, making it irnpossible to create and sustain a diverse and inclusive community in lthaca. N,,loreover, Cornell's take-it-or-leave it offer is totally at odds with its values as an educational and non-profit institution, especially one with a school of industrial and labor relations. And Cornell has no right to prohibit the city from seeking legislative relief from the financial deficits created by its wholly inadequate contributions to the community. Given recent events like the pandemic, climate disasters, immigration, and exponential housing costs, it is also unconscionable that Cornell should try to lock the city into an tVIOU lasting two decades Reject the Cornell ttlOU. The university is obliged to enter into open and fair negotiations with you as our elected representatives. lthaca is not Cornell's company town. Contact lnformation This is not just lthaca's fight. Towns like Princeton, New Jersey and even New York City are asking wealthy universities there to pay their fair shares too. Thank you for your attention Mary N. Woods. Professor Emerita Department of Architecture, Cornell U niversity Field not completed, Email not displaying correctly? View it in ypgglowggr. Online Form Submittal: Common Council Public Comment Form noreply@civicplus.com < noreply@civicplus.com > Wed l0l1 1/2023 4:59 Pivl r" 'rr.;r$l.q'rJtii$' To:Common Council <council@cityofithaca.org>;Laura Lewis <Mayorlewis@cityofithaca.org>;Deb Mohlenhoff <dmohlenhoff@cityofithaca.org>;Clerk <clerk@cityofithaca.org>;Alan Karasin <AKarasin@cityofithaca.org>;Shaniqua Lewis < slewis@cityofithaca.org > Common Council Public Comment Form First Name Peter Last Name Wissoker Street Address lVlunicipality .Note this may be different from your zip code State Topic of Discussion Your Comments Ithaca NY Please do not approve the lt/OU Please vote against the IVOU with Cornell. I know that some people say that we shouldn't be engaged in a game of chicken with the university, but I think it is our duty to hold out for a better deal. IVty reasoning is as follows: 1. The current proposal offers far less to the city than its peer institutions do 2. The tvloU compels the city to swear not try to make Cornell subject to property taxes 3. The university is seeking to scare the city into agreeing to a lesser agreement by feigning that this is its last, best, and final offer . But you know that Cornell will do whatever it takes to protect its brand and, given that, its widely-used negotiation strategy shouldn't be taken at face value. ln many negotiations it turns out that an offer is a final offer...until the party decides to make another one. lt can't live with the bad publicity shutting the city out would generate. George lUcGonigal has spoken of Cornell offering the city a warm bowl of soup in its time of need. But if you remember the story of Jacob and Esau you might recall that Jacob did the same to Esau, but it came with a cost-his birthright. Please don't surrender the city's birthright for twenty years in exchange for what is clearly an insufficient offer. We can find a way through the shofi-term pain that might come between now and the time a new agreement is reached, and one will be reached. Contact lnformation Thank you, Feter WissokerrEh Ithaca, NY 14850 Field not contpleted Entail not displaying correctly? View it in vour browser.