COUNCIL TO VOTE ON METH LAW REVISIONS

Property Owners Would No Longer Be Target Of Prosecution

The Elmira City Council will vote later this month on changes to the
city's methamphetamine law that would take some of the heat off
property owners.

Local Law No. 1, approved in 2004, called for prosecution of meth
makers and property owners where meth was being produced. The
changes, if approved, would no longer hold property owners
accountable when they are not aware that meth production is happening
on their property.

The city Council held a public hearing Monday night on the proposed
changes to the current meth law, which has not been enforced, and no
one in the audience of fewer than 10 people spoke.

The vote will be Oct. 31, City Manager Samuel F. Iraci Jr said.

The key provision in the city's meth law, which will not change,
calls for properties with repeat offenses, from drug production to
felony crimes or health-hazard code violations, to be closed for up
to one year.

A group of city property owners pushed for the changes, Iraci said.

"Property owners thought the law, as configured, wasn't drafted
properly," he said.

For example, Iraci said property owners felt uncomfortable with the
law's provision that would have him name a panel to review the case
that could lead to a property's closing. Under the amended version of
the law, the cases would be turned over to the courts.

"The law was never used or abused," Iraci said.

In other action, the council also voted to hold a public hearing Oct.
31 to hear comments on the proposed changes to the city's Empire Zone.

The changes would consolidate the city's two-square-mile zone into
three areas in Chemung County, as required by a new state law.

The new Empire Zone areas would be:

Area No. 1: 162 acres surrounding Airport Corporate Park and Airport
Corporate Park South in Big Flats.

Area No. 2: 1,070 acres in and around the city of Elmira.

Area No. 3: 47 acres in Southport at the former Remington Rand
facility near Southside High School in Elmira.

The state Empire Zone program offers tax incentives in specific areas
to encourage economic and community development and job creation.

Councilman Terry McLaughlin said he learned a lot about the proposed
zone changes from Southern Tier Economic Growth Vice President Jamie
Johnson, including details about the zones and businesses affected.
Twelve city businesses that had been in the zone will be left out,
but will continue to receive zone benefits for the remainder of their
agreements, Iraci said.

McLaughlin said the changes create more of a "level playing field for
the city" for economic development.

McLaughlin also commended Iraci's efforts with Chemung County
Executive Tom Santulli's to find a way to share the benefits brought
by the Empire Zone.

The city and the county have been working on a revenue-sharing plan
regarding the Empire Zone benefits, Iraci said. The details of the
plan should be finalized in the coming weeks, he said.