99 NEWS HEADLINES FOR MONDAY, 12/28/09
OGDENSBURG COUNTY LEGISLATOR SAYS SALES TAX ADVANTAGE ARGUMENT 'BALONEY'--Joseph Lightfoot, representing Distict 3 told Massena legislator Daniel Girard last week shoppers do not see one percent less sales tax in St.Lawrence County as an enticement to make purchases here. Lightfoot says shoppers will travel hundreds of miles out of the area to other counties, get a hotel room and make a whole day of shopping to get better selection and lower prices on the goods themselves. Girard says Franklin County shoppers will come to St.Lawrence County, and drop hundreds of dollars in places like Massena juet to take advantage of the local 7 percent sales tax, as opposed to 8 in Franklin County. Lightfoot says gas costs will eat up any perceived advantage.
HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS DRIVING LOCAL YOUTH AWAY--Addie Russell, the State Assemblywoman representing much of St.Lawrence County, says college students are taking out more loans to get through school in the wake of massive SUNY budget cuts. This forces young people out of the North Country because they have to start paying off the loans after they graduate, and the employment incomes do not support the debts. Russell says the idea of lower cost of living in the North Country is a falsehood, because of higher transportation, fuel, and food costs despite lower housing costs than metropolitan areas like Syracuse.
BEES BUZZ FIREFIGHTERS IN MORRISTOWN--Firefighters opened up a 4X10 foot nest of bees as they battled a blaze Christmas Eve at 4408 Route 37. Many firefighters were stung. Despite the bee battle, much of the house was saved. The Ogdensburg Journal says the house was occupied by Dorothy Smith, her son Gregory Smith, and her brother Claude Bayard.
OBITUARIES:
Elias Gaurin, Sr.--70--Canton. Services 11am Tuesday at O'Leary Funeral Home, Canton. Calling hours today 2-4, 7-9pm.
