Whether you were born and raised here in Tompkins County, or haven't even been here yet, you will probably find something new, interesting, and useful on these webpages. Welcome!

Beyond this screen, where will you find Tompkins County Government? You'll find it when you land at our beautiful, convenient airport, and take a TCAT bus to your destination, probably traveling over roads built and maintained by Tompkins County. You'll enjoy the work of our employees at a local restaurant that passed its Health Department inspection, and complete your evening at a theater supported by our Tourism Program.  If you're looking for a job, or home health care, or a library book, or an absentee ballot, county workers are there to help. Should you ever need a sheriff's deputy or an answer to your 911 call, you'll find county tax dollars hard at work. The list goes on. We're very proud of the people who make Tompkins County work - for you."
Michael E. Lane, Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature

County governments in New York State offer a diverse collection of services. Originally created as administrative subdivisions of State government, their responsibilities include delivery of a wide range of human services delegated to counties by the State.

County government responsibilities include
 Human Services

 Public Health
 Public Safety and Corrections
 Roads and Maintenance
 Public Records
 Elections

Tompkins County was founded in 1817. Since 1970, it has operated under a County Charter, with a legislature-administrator form of government.

 County Legislature

 Oversees county services and spending
 Sets policy and determines the best use of financial
resources
 Appoints the County Administrator, County Finance
Director, County Attorney, and Legislative Clerk
 Legislators elected every four years from districts of
approximately equal population size
 As of 2014, the number of legislators and districts will
decrease from 15 to 14, as a result of the 2010 Census

  County Administrator

 Oversees and coordinates county government
operations to carry out policies of the Legislature
 Appoints all other non-elected department heads, subject to Legislature confirmation
 Guides delivery of services by employees of county
departments and through contracts with not-for-profit
agencies and service providers

  County Departments and Offices

 Other County Elected Officials

 District Attorney
 Sheriff
 County Clerk

Tompkins County Local Government Directory                 

City of Ithaca

Town of Ithaca

Village of

Cayuga Heights

Town of Caroline

Town of Danby

Town of Dryden

Village of Dryden

Village of
Freeville

Town of Enfield

Town of Groton

Village of Groton

Town of Lansing

Village of Lansing

Town of Newfield

Town of Ulysses

Village of
Trumansburg

 Located within Tompkins County are the City of Ithaca;
the Towns of Ithaca, Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Enfield, Groton, Lansing, Newfield, and Ulysses;
and the Villages of Cayuga Heights, Dryden, Freeville, Groton, Lansing, and Trumansburg.
 

Tompkins County Council of Governments (TCCOG)

is an association of local governments organized to provide a forum for discussion and negotiation leading to agreements for more efficient and fiscally responsible delivery of government services. One of the initiatives of TCCOG is the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium