Students tackle county issues
BY MARY PERHAM The Leader

MARY PERHAM/THE LEADER Students debate issues during a simulated session of the Steuben County Legislature.

BATH — High school students from across Steuben County tackled county needs during lively debates in the county Legislature’s chambers Thursday.

Nineteen high school juniors and seniors from eight school districts met for a simulated legislative session and argued the merits of issues including voting, the environment, punishment for sexual predators, and the make-up of the Legislature.

The session is the final stage of a semester-long county youth program during which students meet with county department heads and elected officials to learn more about county government.

Typically, students at past sessions have presented their resolutions on local issues and answered brief questions before the vote.

Usually, measures pass or fail by sizable margins. But Thursday, the students did not take “I don’t know” for an answer.

“Well, where would you go to find out?” acting Chairwoman Mary Allen, of Hammondsport Central School, asked a student unsure about elements of his resolution. “Would you maybe ask someone at the state?”

In a rare instant of solidarity, the students voted emphatically and unanimously for a proposal by Ashley Robbins, of Avoca, to lock up sexual predators for lengthy sentences.

The group was nearly unanimous in opposing Haverling student Anthony Hillman’s idea to reduce the 17-member county Legislature to a ninemember body.

Hillman said the reduction would do away with sub-par legislators and provide more competition for the seats. He said the remaining legislators would be forced to get to know more areas of the county.

Other students said a smaller Legislature would take away representation from the voters.

“It just seems to me you would have less diversity, fewer opinions,” said Neil Pruden, of Campbell-Savona.

Hillman told the students his idea had to stand on its merits.

Students did support a proposal to do away with legislative term limits, now restricted to three, four-year terms.

There was also strong support for a county-run program to encourage young residents to vote. Lathin Knapp, of Addison, said his resolution would inform young voters about the issues and candidates and prepare them to cast their ballots.

But before they approved it, students argued about the details of Knapp’s proposal, saying the program should be started in schools and not by the county. Others suggested a monthly newsletter to young voters would not be read.

Other proposals were narrowly defeated such as a proposal to ban open-barrel burning.

Brandon Lawson, of Hammondsport, said preventing residents from burning trash in barrels at home would reduce carcinogens in the atmosphere.

Some students questioned whether people would leave more rubbish on the side of the roads.