MONTEZUMA - Assemblyman Brian Kolb kicked off a series of town hall meetings Saturday, fielding constituent questions on topics ranging from all-terrain vehicle fees to the Cayuga Indian land claim.
Kolb, R-Canandaigua, is holding community forums throughout Cayuga and Onondaga counties this week.
He visited Montezuma, Throop, Sennett, and Owasco Saturday.
At the Montezuma Town Hall, Barry LaVoy, president of All County Trail Riders Association, expressed his displeasure with Gov. George Pataki's proposal to increase the annual ATV registration fee from $10 to $45 per year.
Lavoy's organization is a group of 136 families that ride ATVs.
He told Kolb that just a small part of the additional $5.8 million the state would take in annually from ATV registration fees would be returned for ATV trail development and maintenance.
LaVoy pointed out that with the Pro Bass Shop being built and a casino project possible on Route 5 & 20, people with the extra cash to take part in recreational ATV riding will be in the area.
But Pataki's ATV registration fee proposal may not build trails for those tourists. Kolb, well aware of the issue, said he would chat with state Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette.
"Nobody wants to make the tough decision of cost-cutting," Kolb said.
Others asked about the Cayuga Indian land claim, which Kolb noted is still in limbo.
"The federal government has not addressed the issue the way they should have," Kolb said.
He noted that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs has decided to not get involved, which leaves the issue up to the state. "These are very emotional issues as everybody knows," Kolb said.
"It's really up to the courts, one way or the other, to resolve these issues."
Another topic was the state's budget, which is usually never passed by the April deadline.
Kolb said the Democrat-controlled Assembly has made it difficult to get the budget done on time. "It's controlled by people who don't care about budget reform," he said. Some members of the Assembly, Kolb said, always say there is more money in the budget than either the Republican-controlled state Senate or the governor.
He said they seek the extra money to pay for pet projects.
He visited Montezuma, Throop, Sennett, and Owasco Saturday.
At the Montezuma Town Hall, Barry LaVoy, president of All County Trail Riders Association, expressed his displeasure with Gov. George Pataki's proposal to increase the annual ATV registration fee from $10 to $45 per year.
Lavoy's organization is a group of 136 families that ride ATVs.
He told Kolb that just a small part of the additional $5.8 million the state would take in annually from ATV registration fees would be returned for ATV trail development and maintenance.
LaVoy pointed out that with the Pro Bass Shop being built and a casino project possible on Route 5 & 20, people with the extra cash to take part in recreational ATV riding will be in the area.
But Pataki's ATV registration fee proposal may not build trails for those tourists. Kolb, well aware of the issue, said he would chat with state Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette.
"Nobody wants to make the tough decision of cost-cutting," Kolb said.
Others asked about the Cayuga Indian land claim, which Kolb noted is still in limbo.
"The federal government has not addressed the issue the way they should have," Kolb said.
He noted that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs has decided to not get involved, which leaves the issue up to the state. "These are very emotional issues as everybody knows," Kolb said.
"It's really up to the courts, one way or the other, to resolve these issues."
Another topic was the state's budget, which is usually never passed by the April deadline.
Kolb said the Democrat-controlled Assembly has made it difficult to get the budget done on time. "It's controlled by people who don't care about budget reform," he said. Some members of the Assembly, Kolb said, always say there is more money in the budget than either the Republican-controlled state Senate or the governor.
He said they seek the extra money to pay for pet projects.
