Leavenworth to Seek Re-Election 

 Frances W. Leavenworth of Apalachin has announced that she is seeking a fourth term on the Tioga County Legislature. She has served District 3 in Apalachin since January of 1996.

 In a press release, Leavenworth stated, "The citizens of Tioga County need to recognize that the Tioga County Legislature has made some hard decisions in the last several years in order to keep the portion of the county budget that we control running at a 1999 level of county cost. There have been consolidations and layoffs and there will be more to come. The cost of unfunded mandates will mean that to balance the 2005 budget, there will be cuts and/or elimination of ser ices that many of you deem essential.

 "The Federal and State Governments must learn to put politics aside and work for the people who elected them, like local government has done for years. They must pass budgets on time and make sure that the budget cuts they tout are truly cuts, and not pass-downs to a lower level of government. Counties, towns, and villages cannot absorb any more shifts to property tax because elected officials at higher levels won't act responsibly."

 Leavenworth also stated that "tourism can bring dollars to the county, but it must be the kind of tourism that will have only a positive impact. We have made great strides with agri-tourism but there is more we can do."  Leavenworth suggested that heritage/cultural tourism and recreational tourism are areas that need more exposure.

 "Two of my three children and my grandchildren are Tioga County residents," said Leavenworth, "and I owe them and all of the citizens of Tioga County my continued best efforts."