From time to time the topic of consolidating governments comes up. Lansing Councilman Bud Shattuck has said he favors a county-wide government, and the idea of merging school districts was a favorite of former Lansing School Superintendent Mark Lewis. Economy of scale is the argument that most people like when advocating a multi-municipality or school district — wide government.
I am all for economy, and economy of scale — the idea that a larger entity can command lower prices on supplies and services — isn’t a bad idea. We already have that in most cases with towns and school buying equipment on ’state contract’ that pretty much allows the state to buy things and sell them at its lower cost to the individual municipalities. More on page 44
dveaner @ June 4, 2009
I have been a New Yorker for 23 years, and a Lansingite for 22 of those. Since last week’s ‘quality of life’ editorial I have been thinking about my own experience of Lansing. In those 22 years I abandoned a career and had two others, married and raised a family, and got wider in the beam. I almost, but didn’t, move away twice, proving what I have always thought about the Tompkins/Ithaca area: it’s a black hole. It sucks you in with its unique culture and amazing beauty, and you just can’t get out.
I came here for a job in Cortland, and rented an apartment for the first year so I could scope out the area and decide where I wanted to live. Ithaca seemed obvious to me, but I didn’t want to be in the middle of the crazy politics and taxes. Lansing, Groton, and Dryden were on the right side of Tompkins County for my commute, but there was something about Lansing. More on page 42
dveaner @ May 29, 2009