SANTORUM TAKES THREE STATES IN GOP PRIMARIES
WASHINGTON – A resurgent Rick Santorum is the surprise winner of all three Republican Presidential Primaries that took place yesterday. The former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania won the primaries in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri.
Returns from 83 percent of Minnesota’s precincts showed Santorum with 45 percent support, Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 27 percent and Mit Romney — who won the state in his first try for the nomination four years ago — with 17 percent. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrichtrailed with 11 percent.
In Colorado, the state party chairman, Ryan Call, said Santorum was the winner in a long, slow count.
He spoke as returns from 79 percent of the precincts showed Santorum with 38 percent support to 35 percent for Romney.
The stunning sweep is raising fresh questions about front-runner Mitt Romney’s appeal among the ardent conservatives at the core of the party’s political base.
SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO HELP FIGHT INVASIVE WEEDS ON CHAUTAUQUA LAKE
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer is asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide some help in battling invasive weeds on Chautauqua Lake. The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting this morning that the Senior U.S. Senator said the Army Corps of Engineers plan to use 60 to 65 thousand dollars of existing funding to help local agencies combat Eurasian milfoil.
Citing environmental problems impacting boating, swimming, fishing and ultimately the local economy, Schumer on Tuesday wrote the corps’ acting chief of engineers, asking the Army Corps of Engineers to work with the Chautauqua County Watershed Coordinator and the Chautauqua Lake Management Commission to ensure that previously secured funding will be used to develop an effective in-lake management plan.
RESIDENTS WHO OWE STATE MONEY AT RISK OF LOSING FUNDING FROM STAR PROGRAM
ALBANY – Residents who take advantage of the state’s School Tax Relief program… also known as STAR – may wan to make sure they are up to date on their tax payments. Under a proposal being put forth by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his 2012-13 state budget, a STAR penalty plan has been added in an effort to motivate New Yorkers who owe the state money to pay up.
STAR, enacted in 1997, was designed to ease some of the burden of New York’s highest-in-the-nation property taxes for schools. Under the basic STAR exemption, homeowners get a reduction in the assessed value of their home that’s used to calculate their school tax bill. The discount can range from several hundred dollars to more than $1,000, depending on the value of the home.
Under the proposal thus far, the loss of STAR for those who owe state taxes would be a penalty, not an offset. Thus, a homeowner who gets a $1,000 STAR discount would lose it all regardless of whether he owed $3,000 or $300 on other taxes. And he would still have to pay his full $3,000 or $300 in those state taxes.
Given the endless complaints that New Yorkers have over their rising school taxes and given the popularity of the STAR break, the Governor’s plan could turn into a flash point between lawmakers and the governor as they work to complete the budget.
SUNY FREDONIA SURPASSES GOAL OF FIVE-YEAR CAPITOL CAMPAIGN
FREDONIA – Fredonia State College raised $16.7 million—$1.7 million more than its goal—in the largest fundraising campaign in the college’s history, school officials announced earlier this week. The five-year capital campaign by Fredonia State and the Fredonia College Foundation went public in 2008 and concluded Dec. 31. The campaign met the individual goals for its five components: $7.5 million for scholarships; $2.5 million for educational enrichment programming; $2.5 million to benefit Reed Library, the Office for Academic Affairs and athletic programs; $1.5 million for cultural experiences; and $1 million for unrestricted purposes to address immediate school priorities.
Contributions were allocated according to the wishes of donors.
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