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Tompkins County committee launches minimum-wage study and outlines 2026 housing, tourism goals
Summary
The Tompkins County Housing and Economic Development Committee on March 4 began a county-specific minimum-wage study with targeted convenings through spring and a report to the legislature expected this fall; planning staff also outlined a housing needs assessment, strategy update and a tourism grant alignment effort for 2026.
The Tompkins County Housing and Economic Development Committee on March 4 confirmed a countywide minimum-wage study and heard department goals for 2026, including a housing needs assessment and an update to the strategic tourism plan.
Chair Greg opened the meeting and said a research team from Cornell and other institutions has been retained to lead a Tompkins County–specific minimum-wage analysis. Committee members were asked to participate in a series of spring convenings focused on urban and rural low-wage workers, rural businesses, collective-bargaining and human-resources impacts, public-benefits interactions (the “benefits cliff”) and data-methods for wage-setting. Bridget, the deputy county administrator, said the convenings will start “in the near term through the spring and wrap up prior to June,” with a final report to the legislature in the fall.
Why it matters: the study is intended to give county leaders local data and community input to inform any recommendation about a local living-wage law. Vice Chair Iris Pacman described multiple listening sessions planned for different worker and employer audiences and emphasized the County’s effort to capture both urban and rural perspectives.
Planning and sustainability staff said 2026 priorities include contracting and launching a countywide housing needs assessment (funded by the IDA and a Community Development Block Grant) that will inform a refreshed housing strategy and public outreach to set housing targets. Commissioner Katie Borgella said the needs assessment will update prior projections and feed a strategy with targets for future reporting.
The committee also reviewed an equity-indicator effort that tracks renter and homeownership cost burden. Staff and members noted limits in Census-based data for additional measures such as energy burden and transportation costs, and asked staff to explore options for incorporating those topics where feasible.
On tourism, Deputy Commissioner Megan McDonald said the department will update the strategic tourism plan that guides use of room-tax dollars and that the tourism director has been tightening grant eligibility and alignment for arts and cultural development grants funded with room tax revenue.
Votes at a glance: the committee approved the February 4, 2026 minutes and unanimously appointed William Kurt Foreman to the Community Housing Development Fund and as an Ithaca-area economic development representative to Southern Tier 8. The committee also approved a budget adjustment (ID 13845) to carry forward unspent room-occupancy-tax funds from 2025 into 2026; the tourism resolution passed by roll call vote.
The committee asked staff to provide regular updates on the minimum-wage convenings and on contracting and timetables for the housing assessment; staff said they will return with more details and that committee members will be invited to participate in convenings and midpoint check-ins.
The committee adjourned after routine business; staff said they expect the minimum-wage report in the fall and that housing and tourism projects will proceed through 2026 contracting and outreach.
