Streamlining of local governments urged The Associated Press
ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson is proposing legislation he said could save New Yorkers as much as $50 million by consolidating different functions of local municipalities. The Commission on Local Government Efficiency, formed last year by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, released a final report Wednesday to Paterson. The commission’s goal was finding ways to reduce the number local government entities — now more than 4,200 — to help rein in property taxes, which are among the highest in the nation. It’s an ambitious undertaking that New York politicians have been attempting for decades — but it faces strong opposition from the unions that profit from the growth of government and duplicated services. “We recognize that this has been tried before,” Paterson said. “But we are in an economic time that may be unparalleled.” The commission’s ideas include consolidating school districts and centralizing local government functions, like tax collection, emergency dispatch, and records offices.
Parochialism's price First published: Sunday, May 4, 2008
New York's multiple layers of government are confusing, illogical and expensive. Hamlets are situated within villages. Villages are tucked within towns, in some cases sharing borders. Small school districts operate near much larger ones. Taxing districts abound within municipal and suburban boundaries. This indefensible system has long served the political parties, which have more patronage jobs to hand out than they would if governments were streamlined. It also encourages turf building and parochialism, which impede efforts to improve services and reduce costs through regionalization. It's also way too costly. That was the warning last week from Gov. Paterson, as he endorsed the findings of a commission appointed by former Gov. Spitzer to explore ways to reduce the cost of government through consolidation. The panel, headed by former Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine, has recommended such common-sense reforms as consolidating services like tax collections and back-office operations, and merging county jails into a single state-run system. While the commission's report is new, its topic is not. Regionalization has been discussed, and written about, for decades. As recently as 2006, the Legislature approved a $25 million fund to encourage localities to merge or share services. But almost a year after that, less than half that money had been disbursed. There has been progress, to be sure. Some examples: The Maplewood school district merged with the North Colonie district; several Capital Region localities are working together to upgrade sewage facilities. But parochialism remains strong. One example is the town of Berne, which refused to merge its town highway department with the Albany County highway department, even though it would have meant a savings of $200,000 and a 2 percent cut in property taxes. The Lundine commission has estimated that sensible consolidation plans could, overall, save taxpayers $1 billion a year -- money that will be desperately needed if Mr. Paterson's prediction of state budget deficits "reaching numbers that we have never discussed in this state" comes true. Unlike the Legislature's $25 million incentive fund, the Lundine commission recommends putting some teeth behind consolidation efforts, such as giving the commissioner of education the power to order school district mergers, and a constitutional amendment to enable localities to share services more freely. "We recognize that this has been tried before," Mr. Paterson said in reference to past regionalization efforts. "But we are in an economic time that may be unparalleled." And time is running out. THE ISSUE: A commission proposes more regionalization. THE STAKES: The public can no longer afford the status quo.
I support the consolidation of some of the functions of local government. However, I do not generally support transferring local control to higher levels of government. The transfer of power to state and federal government results in the loss of local input and control by the residents, arbitrary mandates, and wasteful bureacracy.
There are concerns that come with consolidation, primarily who will control the consolidated government and the equitability of services provided to the municipalities. As an example, if the functions of the local municipalities (towns, villages, etc.) are consolidated to the county level, will the City of Schenectady be the benefactor with the outlying areas losing services for which they pay?
There are additional areas for potential consolidation that may reduce spending. These need to be considered to identify the benefits and the disadvantages. Thought should be given to consolidation of school districts. Additionally, consolidation of not-for-profit organizations who receive funding from government (at every level) should be considered. We have dozens of not-for-profit organizations in Schenectady County, many of which provide similar services. What say you?
I support the consolidation of some of the functions of local government. However, I do not generally support transferring local control to higher levels of government. The transfer of power to state and federal government results in the loss of local input and control by the residents, arbitrary mandates, and wasteful bureacracy.
I agree- not to the higher levels go the power and authority
There are concerns that come with consolidation, primarily who will control the consolidated government and the equitability of services provided to the municipalities. As an example, if the functions of the local municipalities (towns, villages, etc.) are consolidated to the county level, will the City of Schenectady be the benefactor with the outlying areas losing services for which they pay?
I think that when the areas within a county become a percentage of rural/agricultural etc then services will be rendered accordingly and in ratio---there is a reason folks move to the country and there is a reason folks move to the city....as for the inbetween, another discussion I guess.....folks either value space(it has its price) or folks value the closeness(it has its price)......
There are additional areas for potential consolidation that may reduce spending. These need to be considered to identify the benefits and the disadvantages. Thought should be given to consolidation of school districts. Additionally, consolidation of not-for-profit organizations who receive funding from government (at every level) should be considered. We have dozens of not-for-profit organizations in Schenectady County, many of which provide similar services. What say you?
Not for profit should mean not for profit and not for government and not for lobbying
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
CAPITOL Bill promotes gov’t consolidation BY VALERIE BAUMAN The Associated Press
New Yorkers would be able to streamline the often tangled web of taxation that results from having more than 10,500 government entities providing services throughout the state under legislation state lawmakers are considering. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo wrote the proposal, which Gov. David Paterson and leaders in both houses support. Cuomo said Thursday that current local government laws are rife with inconsistencies and complexities. The bill would allow citizens to petition for consolidation of governing bodies or services, such as police protection. The number and variety of special service districts for things like libraries and garbage collection drive up the cost of living in the state. It has led to the duplication of functions as well as overlapping areas of authority and debt. The idea is to create a system that makes it easy for local government entities to consolidate or dissolve. For example, towns and cities that have the same name could merge, or the delivery of services could be consolidated under one local authority. Counties would be allowed to abolish units of local government with voter approval. Cuomo said the plan would save money and reduce property taxes and fees for the communities that decide to make a change. The idea has been proposed in the past, but it hasn’t taken hold because cutting down on government operations and consolidation can mean fewer jobs. When small communities vote on consolidation, some might not be willing to eliminate their livelihood, or their neighbor’s. Still, Cuomo believes New Yorkers will eventually let go of some of the individual districts regulating things like aquatic plant growth control, disposal of duck waste and fallout shelters. This time the proposal has the backing of Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, both Democrats, and many Republicans. Paterson said the proposal includes many of the key initiatives his administration has worked to advance, but more needs to be done to relieve taxpayers.
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