News Blog

The Public Safety Committee of Rochester City Council will discuss Mayor Lovely Warren’s proposal to get rid of red-light cameras this week. Council committees meet at 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 15, in Council chambers at City Hall, 30 Church Street.

You can speak out on the red-light legislation at a specially scheduled public forum after the committee meetings. The forum is scheduled for around 5:15 p.m.

All of Council’s committees will meet that day. The Public Safety Committee usually convenes near the end.
Warren wants the red-light program to end on December 31; she says that the city’s program unfairly targets the poor. BY CHRISTINE CARRIE FIEN


Rochester schools Superintendent Barbara Deane-Williams will hold a “Kitchen Table Conversation” from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 15. The meeting is an opportunity to meet with the superintendent in a casual setting for updates as well as to voice concerns. The event will be held at the district’s central office, 131 West Broad Street. BY TIM LOUIS MACALUSO


The Monroe County Legislature will most likely vote on the 2017 county budget when it meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The $1.2 billion plan keeps the county tax rate flat at $8.99 per $1,000 of assessed property value. It also boosts county spending on child care subsidies by $100,000, which is far less than what local children’s advocates and Democratic Monroe County legislators pressed for. Dems will probably introduce an amendment Tuesday night to boost the funding, and Republicans will likely block it.

Children’s advocates have recently raised concerns over an increase in county child abuse and neglect cases. Advocates want the county to automatically fill any child protective services caseworker vacancies automatically and to add CPS staff.

The Legislature meets in its chambers at the County Office Building, 39 West Main Street.


At 11:30 a.m. today (Monday, December 12), County Clerk Adam Bello will announce his proposal for a full-time downtown DMV office.

City residents are currently served by a mobile DMV office, which sets up at City Place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and at the county parks office in Highland Park on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Bello wants to locate a permanent DMV office at City Place.

But a full-time DMV will require money for operations and renovations. It’s not clear whether the 2017 county budget proposal includes funding for the facility; Bello will most likely speak on that issue during his press conference. BY JEREMY MOULE