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News Update for Wed., June 19, 2013

TRC officials pleased and "relieved" that state funding for developmentally-disabled has been fully-restored...

Officials with The Resource Center says they've "grateful and relieved" that state lawmakers have fully-restored program funding for the developmentally-disabled.  The state Senate Tuesday unanimously approved restoring the $90-million in funding.  That followed a rare, unanimous vote by the Assembly.  Spokesman Steve Waterson with The Resource Center says they were looking at further cuts, on top of a $1.6-million reduction last year.  Waterson says, fortunately, a number of Assemblymen felt that was still too much, given the previous cuts to those agencies.  One of those Assemblymembers was Bemus Point's Andy Goodell... who pushed to restore the funding with state Senator Cathy Young and others.  Waterson says most of the $90-million cut was from savings found by agency audits... and, moving some people out of higher-cost, residential settings.  He says that left about $14.2-million dollars that would have to be cut.  The governor originally proposed $120-million in cuts... but, lawmakers restored $30-million dollars in the final, 2013-2014 budget.  However... employees and clients of entities like The Resource Center rallied support to restore the entire cut. 


Westfield Academy, and Brocton School Districts approve moving ahead with merger process...

The work is far from over for two area school districts whose voters have supported a proposal to merge the two districts.  That from Brocton Central School Superintendent John Hertlein... who says he's pleased with the results of Tuesday's straw vote in centralizing the district with the Westfield Academy and Central School.  The results were 468-to-77 in Brocton... and, 508-to-168 in the Westfield district.  Hertlein says he's pleased with the number of people who have "put their trust in the adminstration and the school."  But... he adds that it appears there are still a lot of voters who took part in a previous merger vote with the Fredonia Central that didn't turn out for this vote.  That merger failed.   He wants to make sure those voters get honest and accurate information... and, he says both districts will have to make sure there's "honest communciations" with them on what exactly they'll be voting on before a binding vote in October.  Tuesday's straw vote was not binding.


Some state lawmakers push to prohibit cash Welfare benefits to pay for items like tobacco, alcohol and strip clubs...

Some New York lawmakers are pushing to prohibit using cash welfare benefits to pay for tobacco, alcohol, strip clubs and illegal drugs.  Senate Republicans behind the bill say the state must act before February... or lose $125-million in federal aid.  Republican Senator Thomas Libous says Tuesday the bill will make such spending illegal in New York for the first time.  He says retail store receipts show social services debit cards have been used for the purchases and police reports have shown the cash was used in drug deals.  Republicans speculate the abuse could be widespread... pointing to $4-million a month in cash withdrawals made from automatic teller machines between Midnight and 6 a.m.  The Cuomo administration has been exploring ways to restrict the purchases.


JCC board approves new Budget for 2013-2014...

Jamestown Community College's 2013-2014 budget was approved at Tuesday's meeting of the college's board of trustees.  JCC President Dr. Greg DeCinque says the $34.5-million spending plan includes an $85-dollar per semester tuition increase for full-time students from New York state.  DeCinque adds the budget is 1.6-percent larger than the college's original 2012-2013 spending plan.  The college's new fiscal year begins Sept. 1.  DeCinque says it was another "challenging" budget given the continued economic uncertainty -- "in our state, country, and throughout the world.  He adds the budget includes $2,422 per full-time equivalent student in state aid.  DeCinque says that's up over last year.  However... he says the rate only partially offsets the cumulative reduction of $553 absorbed from mid-year during 2009-to-10 through 2011.