1. “Common sense is not so common.” -Voltaire
PAF 101 Module 4, Lecture 4
“Common sense is not so common.” -Voltaire

2. Class Agenda
Announcements
Nick Pirro
Assignment for Next Class

3. Excel is life. According to The Wall Street Journal:
“The Key to a Good-Paying Job is… Microsoft Excel?”

4. PAF VITA Site Initiative and WhiTax
The EITC is a refundable tax credit working families receive through their tax return being filed
Depends on income, marital status, number or children
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Sites – get tax returns done for free
Become Tax Certified to volunteer at a VITA site in the Spring
Receive PAF 110 credit for about 25 hours of volunteering and 10 hours of training
All day training session Saturday November 12th from 9 am to 4 pm
If interested please Nate Birnbaum at

5. Competition Points Winners Losers As of 10/28/16 Group # Points 9 27 826 2 25 15 24 3 23 14 22 18 21 5 17 20 7 19 13 10 6 12 16 11 1 4
Winners
Losers
As of 10/28/16

6. Speaker Survey
For each speaker, complete a survey using the URL we provide before the start of the next class OR LOSE 5 POINTS

7. County Executive
COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE COUNTY!

8. Budget Differences
Onondaga County Budget is nearly twice as big as the Syracuse City Budget
City of Syracuse Budget
$660 million city budget
2014 Onondaga County Budget
$1.21 billion county budget

9. County Organization 3,800 employees 93 departments & agencies 8 unions
$350 million payroll (salary & fringe)
17 member Legislature

10. Cities, Towns and Villages
Syracuse City
19 Towns
15 Villages
What is the difference between a town and a village?

11. Districts 18 School Districts 59 Fire Districts
Others like Sewer, Water and Lighting

12. County Human Service Mandates
County administers and co-funds:
Medicaid
Public Assistance
Food Stamps
Child Welfare (including foster care and adoptions)
Juvenile Delinquent Care
Pre-K education for Special Children
Public Health programs
Mental Health programs

13. Broad Range of Services Example--County Criminal Justice Services
Direct police protection--Sheriff
Jail for inmates prior to trial
Defense of accused--Legal aid
Prosecution of accused—District Attorney
Court facilities
Penitentiary for those convicted
Probation for those released

14. Municipal Services Parks Highway Maintenance Police Central Library
-Including a zoo and stadium
Highway Maintenance
Police
Central Library
Planning

15. Nicholas J. Pirro Onondaga County Executive (1988 – 2008)
President of the New York State Association of Counties (2000 – 2001)
President- NP Associates, LLC

16. Major Accomplishments
Onondaga Community College
Gifford’s Zoo
City of Syracuse/County of Onondaga Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission
Onondaga County Public Library System
Metropolitan Sewage Treatment Plant upgrade

17. Community Involvement
Mental Health Association
Scouting for Food
Success by 6
The Americanization League
Central New York SPCA

19. PAF 410 - Practicum in Local Policy
Taught by Nick Pirro himself
Offered every Fall Semester
Features decision making exercises
Class determined field trips during class time!
Permission only, see Coplin

20. Module 4 Newsletter…
…has been posted

21. 8.2A: Class Topic
Problem: the dropout rate at Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York, is too high.
Proposed Policy: Increase all scholarship assistance to sophomores with above a 3.0 GPA by $2,000

22. For Next Class Competition workshop Complete Ex. 8.2A on Class Topic
Meet in competition locations
Regrades are due next class
Module due 11/9