April 11th, 2022 Daily Headlines

On Friday, Ithaca made national headlines when the employees at all three local Starbucks locations voted to unionize by an overwhelming margin. Workers at the South Meadow Street Starbucks voted 13 to 1 for unionization. Workers on Seneca street approved unionization by a vote of 15 to 1 and workers in Collegetown voted 19 to 1 for unionization. This also makes Ithaca the first city in the country to have all its Starbucks locations unionized.

——-

At Last Wednesday’s Ithaca Common Council meeting the public and councilors debated the proposal to restructure the city’s police department, and add a new department of unarmed civilian first responders. According to the Ithaca Voice, several community members voiced opposition to the proposal including  some who falsely suggested the plan would include a downsizing, or abolition of the Ithaca Police Department. The proposal would maintain the size of the department, but add a new Division of Community Solutions. Both the Division of Community Solutions and the Division of Police would fall under the Department of Community Safety which would be led by a civilian leader appointed by the Common Council. Other community members expressed support for the measure and some urged the council to invest more money and staff into the new department. Some Council members expressed frustration with the Reimagining Public Safety process including Councilor Cynthia Brock who claimed the process lacked sufficient input from councilors and the IPD. Brock and Councilor Jeffrey Barkin have expressed their skepticism of the plan publicly in op-eds in the Ithaca Voice. 

——-

Early Saturday morning, New York State approved its budget for fiscal year 2023. According to ABC 7, the budget included a $2.2 Billion property tax rebate for low and middle income households, and a toughening of the state’s bail law. The budget will also cut the state’s gas tax by about 16 cents per gallon and legalize to-go alcohol for the next three years. Also included are investments in child care, healthcare worker wages and $600 Million towards a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.