The election districts for US Congress as well as for the New York State Assembly and Senate had to be redrawn. A draft version is out. See newyork.redistrictingandyou.org/ for the maps and the https://ithacavoice.com/2022/05/nys-draft-congressional-maps-released-a-special-election-adds-pressure-to-ny19/ for commentary.
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Chair’s Message
Linda Hoffmann, Chair, TCDC So much has happened in the news over these past two months: a new Lt. Governor has been appointed, news about redistricting both statewide and locally, new organizational meeting requirements, a possible new petitioning cycle with an additional August primary and so much more political upheaval. We spend this Newsletter reporting the latest news on these fronts to you. Additionally, we have been busy with a robust fund-raising effort for Democratic Sponsors. The issues committee is set to look at some bylaw revisions, we look forward to our June 11th Wine and Cheese Event at the Cherry, TCDC and watch for the announcement for our TCDC General Meeting and a forum on the Lt. Governor’s race. I am so thankful for the work that all of you do for the Tompkins County Democrats. I urge all of you once again to take care in the way we address our concerns to one another. Whether we are speaking face to face or writing an email take the time to ask open ended questions. Email communication can sometimes be especially misunderstood. Please know that I am always open to hearing and listening to your concerns. We, as democrats […]
Continue readingVirtual Town Hall on Voting Rights March 23
Don’t miss this important virtual town hall featuring our own Anna Kelles, Stacey Dimas and others. Although seen as a progressive state, New York has some of the most restrictive voting rights laws in the country and a long history of discrimination, especially against Black and Brown voters. JOIN US on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6pm for a virtual town hall on this issue and why we need the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVRA) A6678A. NYS Assembly Member Kelles, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the New York Civil Liberties Union and more will gather to discuss what this bill means for New Yorkers, our communities, and how you can support it. The NYVRA (S.1046A/A.6678A) will provide the strongest protections of any state law against voter suppression, discriminatory election structures, and voter intimidation, while offering nation-leading measures to provide transparency in election administration and support to voters whose first language is not English. After years of lagging on voting rights, now is the time for New York State to lead.RSVP HERE Zoom Video Communications Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: NYVRA Town Hall . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about […]
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Chair’s Message
Whether being new, a seasoned petitioner or somewhere in between, the commitment to petitioning is an important mission of the Tompkins County Democrats. The petitioning calendar opened on March 1st with a flurry of petitions being shared across the five wards and nine towns. The concept and practice of petitioning has a long and rich tradition that is noted as far back in human history in the records of ancient Egyptian workers petitioning for improved working conditions. Petitioning in 18th century America was instituted by the framers of the constitution to be included among the rights protected by the First Amendment. The world of petitions encompasses four types: political (what is being undertaken in Tompkins County with the Designated Petitions), legal, public purpose, and Internet. The latter is most effective to raise public awareness on an issue. As each of us continues the task of petitioning into our neighborhoods, know you are asking the Democratic voters to sign a petition as being part of a long tradition of pursuing civic and political action to achieve a much larger political social goal. Our purpose is in getting candidates in contested races on the Primary Election Ballots for NYS Senate 53rd and […]
Continue readingFebruary New Chair’s Message
A Special Hello to Members and Volunteers, On the evening of January 27 at the TCDC General Meeting I was elected to serve as the chair of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee. I accepted this position with a commitment to enhance the mission of our county committee with the recognition of the needed support of you, members, volunteers, and community groups. Being chair of the Town of Ithaca Democratic Committee and the Political Action Team provided me vast experiences and has fostered a strong commitment to being politically engaged. I would like to extend to Stacy Dimas, our first Vice-Chair a warm thank you for stepping in under such sad circumstances. We know how proud Jim was of you Stacy, but also how thankful we all are for your leadership and unwavering abilities to organize under pressure. As the calendar turned from January to February, the floodgates opened to finalize “Redistricting” across the local, state and federal governmental voting districts. New York State released district lines with the spotlight in Tompkins County on the NY State Senate District 58 now the 53rd which will span the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes, and Central New York and appears to include Tompkins, and […]
Continue readingMeet the Congressional and NYS State Senate Candidates, Feb 20-21
Please join us for two NYS Candidates Fora: NYS Senate 53rd District Candidates Forum, Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 7:00 p.m., and 22nd Congressional Candidates Forum, Monday, February 21, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. Both fora will be live-streamed via YouTube links listed below. The format will involve each candidate delivering an opening statement with a series of question and answers. Each candidate will deliver closing remarks to finish. NYS Senate 53rd District Candidates Forum – Sunday, February 20, 2022 – start time 7:00 p.m. Meet the candidates running for the NYS Senate 53rd District: Leslie Danks Burke, Lea Webb, and Ammitai Worob. https://youtu.be/1V8PQWUi1DA 22nd Congressional Candidates Forum – Monday, February 21, 2022 – start time 7:00 p.m. Meet the candidates running for 22nd Congressional District: Francis Conole, Vanessa Fajan-Turner, Sarah Klee Hood, Steve Holden, Chol Majok, Josh Riley, and Sam Roberts. https://youtu.be/JZ62URdaRMw We truly hope you will join us for both of these events.
Continue readingA Statement of Gratitude for Tee-Ann Hunter’s Service
The Town of Ithaca Democratic Committee would like to congratulate Tee-Ann Hunter on her retirement from the Town of Ithaca Board and thank her for her many years of distinguished public service. Tee-Ann served on the Board for over 12 years, after having served for 6 years as Town Clerk. During her tenure on the Board, Tee-Ann became a knowledgeable and accessible representative, often prioritizing residents’ concerns in the formulation of public policy. Tee-Ann recognized the nutritional and general wellness benefits of gardening and catalyzed the creation of the West Hill Community Garden, which, with modest Town support, provides agricultural opportunities for members of our community who might otherwise not have ready access. Her love of the natural environment, her sense of its fragility, and of its value to the larger community inspired her to re-energize the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization, transforming it into a thriving and forward-looking State-relevant planning entity. Tee-Ann also took a keen interest in sound long-range fiscal policy, championing the use of asset management practices and capital improvement planning as a way of efficiently anticipating and preparing for large-scale expenditures. Likewise, her appreciation for and understanding of land-use planning and architectural aesthetics made her a […]
Continue readingA Statement of Gratitude for Pat Leary’s Service
The Town of Ithaca Democratic Committee is grateful for the service of Pat Leary, who retired in December after a total of 24 years as a member of the Ithaca Town Board. Pat was first elected in 1985 and served two four-year terms. She was elected again in 2005 and served four terms. Pat was appointed Deputy Town Supervisor from May 2008 through December 2009. During her tenure Pat served on a variety of committees, including the Budget, Planning, Codes and Ordinances, Public Works, Sidewalk, and Short-Term Rental Committees. In each of these roles she worked tirelessly to ensure the quality of life of Town residents. Pat was particularly dedicated to making affordable housing available to Town residents and believed neighborhoods within the Town should foster a sense of community. Pat was committed the well-being of the Town’s staff. She felt that as an employer the Town has a moral obligation to treat its workers fairly and never forgot that Town employees are often called upon to do difficult work under dangerous conditions. As a result, Pat strongly advocated for living wages and good benefits, as well as a safe and satisfying work environment. Pat will be missed by her […]
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Jim Gustafson, A Legacy to Celebrate
submitted by Renate Ferro for the Democratic View published in the Tompkins Weekly, January 2022 Jim Gustafson, A Legacy to Celebrate: “All hands-on deck…mobilize…Let’s Get to Work” It is with the heaviest of hearts that we learned of Jim Gustafson’s death on December 21st, 2021. We appreciated Jim within the Tompkins County Democratic Committee as a gentle soul with a very endearing sense of humor who knew how to cut through nonsense. His legacy as the Chair of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee centers around his dedication to grassroots politics, the cultivation of a diverse set of active voices even through the challenge of the Covid pandemic, and his commitment to labor issues. Jim Gustafson was elected as interim Chair of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee on February 25th, 2019, to finish a partial term. In June of 2019, Jim was elected to a regular two-year term. Strongly leading our committee through the difficult days of COVID, Jim’s tenure as Chair was extended by a NYS Democratic Committee mandate through September 2022. Jim sadly resigned because of ill health in early December, 2021. Jim’s commitment to Democratic politics is also reflected in the work he did in Tompkins County as […]
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January Chair’s Message
Hello Tompkins County Democrats, Happy New Year and welcome to 2022! I hope you all had a peaceful and safe holiday. Our hearts are heavy mourning the loss of our friend and former Chair, Jim Gustafson. Jim’s last words to me were “Continue the mission. I trust you to lead the committee through this change.” In that spirit, it is critical that we work together to carry on Jim’s legacy of service and his steadfast commitment to upholding our strong democratic values. Our committee is strong and we are fortunate to serve in one of our state’s Democratic strongholds. Over the last few weeks, key committee members have been working tirelessly to revamp our internal systems. We will have a robust social media presence and implement new fundraising ideas including a Peter Stein Memorial Internship Program and a Jim Gustafson Memorial Golf Tournament, while still continuing our Wine and Cheese and Summer BBQ events. We are exploring tools that will help us learn about issues that affect Tompkins County residents to craft messaging and education. Struggle has always been part of our democratic journey. Today is no different. We must persevere to ensure future generations thrive and enjoy a cool […]
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