<p>Svante Myrick, a 24 year-old Cornell alum with an incredible life story, was featured tonite on NBC TV's news magazine, Rock Center with Brian Williams.</p>
<p>Still shouldn’t be mayor. His anti-cornell policies are abhorrent considering that he is only in office here because he attended CU.</p>
<p>Pretty sure he’s just saying that to become popular with the townies - that’s how they think.</p>
<p>The town vs. Cornell politics are always entertaining. Outside the colleges, Ithaca is culturally vibrant, but certainly not economically and there is a bit of “class warfare” (to borrow hyperbolic speech from national politics). Cornell as a university doesn’t have to pay taxes, but voluntarily contributes I think $1-2 million a year to the city (keep in mind that if Cornell wasn’t a school, the annual taxes would be something like $25 million). That said, without Cornell, Ithaca would be so much worse off economically. How else will you attract people with money to live in the middle of nowhere?</p>
<p>@mikeyc765
I agree with you. One of the main reasons why the unemployment rate is so low in Ithaca is because many adults are employed by either Cornell/Ithaca College. They also bring in thousands of students each year; thus, promoting economic activities in the area. Cornell isn’t the devil here. This place is a hellhole and Cornell’s giving it a reason for others to come here. The mayor really shouldn’t be criticizing it.</p>