OFFICIALS OPPOSING CONSOLIDATION PLAN
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal would link state aid to merger plans for local governments
ALBANY, N.Y. >> Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan to link state aid money to downsizing local government came under sharp criticism Tuesday as a “top down” dictate that doesn’t reflect the fiscal realities facing municipalities.
“We certainly support shared services (and) we support working with local governments, counties, villages and towns and school districts across the state, but this has to come from the community up,” said Chris Koetzle, the town supervisor of Glenville, Schenectady County. “Not from a command and control structure down.”
“What I was hope for was less mandates, unfunded mandates ... relieve us of the mandates, allow us to do our own governing,” said Edward Kinowski (R-Stillwater), chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors.
“We need relief and it’s relief from you telling us what to do when we know what to do at the local level,” he added. “We’ve been doing it for a very long time.”
He and others said the biggest problem is the costs of pensions, employee healthcare and other mandates handed down by the state and shouldered by local taxpayers.
CSEA Capital Region President Ron Briggs called Cuomo’s plan a “dangerous scheme” which “undermines local government leadership and erodes vital services taxpayers rely on. It also sets up local governments for failure.”
He also said any consolidation or shared services planning should include rank and file employees who will be affected by any change.
They spoke at a press conference with Sen. Kathy Marchione (R-Halfmoon), who is opposing Cuomo’s plan to tie $715 million in funding for municipalities to creation of a government consolidation plan. Under the plan, county governments would draw up merger plans to downsize local governments and put the recommendations up for a vote.
Cuomo’s office had no immediate comment on the press conference Tuesday.
Marchione said any consolidation plan “should be 100 percent voluntary and that localities that decide to pursue consolidation should keep any realized savings.” She also said the Aid to Municipalities program has been flat for nine years and funding should be in-
dation plan “should be 100 percent voluntary and that localities that decide to pursue consolidation should keep any realized savings.” She also said the Aid to Municipalities program has been flat for nine years and funding should be increased.
“I believe our local elected officials have already been elected to do their jobs and put something out as simple as shared services, I think the local government bodies can certainly make those decisions off the top of their community,” Marchione said.
The proposal is part of Cuomo’s $162 billion budget plan for 2017-18 which is on track to be adopted by the end of March. Legislators are expected to make changes in the plan before its final adoption, possibly including a revision of the consolidation proposal.
Marchione’s proposed amendments to the plan include decoupling any vote on shared services to state aid and allowing school districts and BOCES districts to participate.
Her plan was endorsed Tuesday by the state Conference of Mayors as well as CSEA, the union representing many of the worker potentially affected by any downsizing or change in the workplace resulting from consolidations.