County to state: Don't shift burden on to taxpayers
NORWICH – Chenango County urged Governor David Paterson and the New York State Legislature to avoid cost shifts to county governments in a resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors Monday.
“We are playing our part. We are encouraging all municipalities and individuals to do the same,” Chairman Richard B. Decker said.
The resolution advocates that the state’s legislature “exercise discretion and restraint” during the Governor’s Nov. 18 emergency budgeting session where lawmakers are being asked to trim $1.5 billion from the state’s current budget shortfall.
Chenango County joins other members of the New York State County Executives Association in calling on the state to avoid cost cutting that could shift the burden to local taxpayers. A bipartisan group of county chief executives, participating in a conference call late last week, recommended $1 billion in cuts that would not increase taxes for homeowners or businesses.
“The current situation is not insurmountable. We can fundamentally restructure our state mandate program in a way that reduces costs and improves core public programs and services,” said Stephen J. Acquario, executive director of the NYSCEA.
The Board of Supervisors agreed unanimously to adopt the resolution after agreeing to a five-year labor contract and just minutes before establishing a date for a public hearing on the 2009 tentative budget.
The Chenango County Civil Service Employees Association Unit ratified a term agreement on Nov. 8 that covers working conditions, wages and benefits for the 300 county employees represented. According to CSEA President Patty Murray, the contract ensures employees a 4.5 percent raise for the first, second and third years and a 4 percent raise for the fourth and fifth years, representing a 21 percent increase.
The vote was 186 for and 27 against out of 249 registered CSEA voters.
Chenango County’s proposed budget calls for taxpayers to raise $22 million for government programs, services and personnel next year. During a discussion of county and highway surplus levels and the state funds that could be cut back next week, Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown commented, “We just passed the employee’s contract, and those people are going to want a check each Friday no matter what the government does on any given day.”
In preparation for the Nov. 18 special session Governor Paterson will hold a town hall meeting Nov. 11 at the Onondaga County Civic Center in Syracuse. The session is open to the public.
The program, titled “New York’s Fiscal Crisis: The Governor’s Upstate Town Hall Meeting,” will be hosted by Susan Arbetter, host of the New York public television weekly program “New York Now.” The meeting will air at 9 p.m. on WSKG-TV.
Those wishing to attend may register by Nov. 10 by sending an e-mail to BudgetTownHall@budget.state.ny.us and Julie.baldwin@chamber.state.ny.us. Participants are encouraged to arrive by 2 p.m. for the 3 p.m. meeting.
Twice this year, counties received across-the-board reductions in state reimbursement for programs and services delivered at the local level, effectively shifting more of the cost of these programs on to county property taxpayers.
The 16 county executives sent a letter to Governor David Paterson and legislative leaders calling for two things: 1. a commitment to balance the budget without shifting costs to property taxpaying homeowners and businesses, and 2. to reduce state spending to match corresponding revenue, instead of shifting costs to the county level.
“We believe the state can significantly reduce spending without cost shifting to counties and offer specific recommendations that would generate substantial and recurring budget savings,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, the president of the New York State County Executives Association, which hosted the conference call.
The proposal includes: reducing or eliminating non-mandated aid to localities programs, particularly those listed as not critical to the core missions of state agencies; reforming New York State Health Insurance Program payments and returning overpayments to participating agents; reforming Early Intervention funding to ensure that third party insurance companies cover the costs for which they are legally responsible; and reforming the Preschool Special Education Reform to reduce the cost and improve the overall effectiveness of the program.
“Our counties are not looking for more state money or for additional taxing authority, we are calling for state spending to reflect the reality of available revenues, not to be shifted from the state budget to the property tax,” said Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
“We are playing our part. We are encouraging all municipalities and individuals to do the same,” Chairman Richard B. Decker said.
The resolution advocates that the state’s legislature “exercise discretion and restraint” during the Governor’s Nov. 18 emergency budgeting session where lawmakers are being asked to trim $1.5 billion from the state’s current budget shortfall.
Chenango County joins other members of the New York State County Executives Association in calling on the state to avoid cost cutting that could shift the burden to local taxpayers. A bipartisan group of county chief executives, participating in a conference call late last week, recommended $1 billion in cuts that would not increase taxes for homeowners or businesses.
“The current situation is not insurmountable. We can fundamentally restructure our state mandate program in a way that reduces costs and improves core public programs and services,” said Stephen J. Acquario, executive director of the NYSCEA.
The Board of Supervisors agreed unanimously to adopt the resolution after agreeing to a five-year labor contract and just minutes before establishing a date for a public hearing on the 2009 tentative budget.
The Chenango County Civil Service Employees Association Unit ratified a term agreement on Nov. 8 that covers working conditions, wages and benefits for the 300 county employees represented. According to CSEA President Patty Murray, the contract ensures employees a 4.5 percent raise for the first, second and third years and a 4 percent raise for the fourth and fifth years, representing a 21 percent increase.
The vote was 186 for and 27 against out of 249 registered CSEA voters.
Chenango County’s proposed budget calls for taxpayers to raise $22 million for government programs, services and personnel next year. During a discussion of county and highway surplus levels and the state funds that could be cut back next week, Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown commented, “We just passed the employee’s contract, and those people are going to want a check each Friday no matter what the government does on any given day.”
In preparation for the Nov. 18 special session Governor Paterson will hold a town hall meeting Nov. 11 at the Onondaga County Civic Center in Syracuse. The session is open to the public.
The program, titled “New York’s Fiscal Crisis: The Governor’s Upstate Town Hall Meeting,” will be hosted by Susan Arbetter, host of the New York public television weekly program “New York Now.” The meeting will air at 9 p.m. on WSKG-TV.
Those wishing to attend may register by Nov. 10 by sending an e-mail to BudgetTownHall@budget.state.ny.us and Julie.baldwin@chamber.state.ny.us. Participants are encouraged to arrive by 2 p.m. for the 3 p.m. meeting.
Twice this year, counties received across-the-board reductions in state reimbursement for programs and services delivered at the local level, effectively shifting more of the cost of these programs on to county property taxpayers.
The 16 county executives sent a letter to Governor David Paterson and legislative leaders calling for two things: 1. a commitment to balance the budget without shifting costs to property taxpaying homeowners and businesses, and 2. to reduce state spending to match corresponding revenue, instead of shifting costs to the county level.
“We believe the state can significantly reduce spending without cost shifting to counties and offer specific recommendations that would generate substantial and recurring budget savings,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, the president of the New York State County Executives Association, which hosted the conference call.
The proposal includes: reducing or eliminating non-mandated aid to localities programs, particularly those listed as not critical to the core missions of state agencies; reforming New York State Health Insurance Program payments and returning overpayments to participating agents; reforming Early Intervention funding to ensure that third party insurance companies cover the costs for which they are legally responsible; and reforming the Preschool Special Education Reform to reduce the cost and improve the overall effectiveness of the program.
“Our counties are not looking for more state money or for additional taxing authority, we are calling for state spending to reflect the reality of available revenues, not to be shifted from the state budget to the property tax,” said Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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