Spitzer names panel

[INIT915 1,119]

Spitzer names panel to study consolidating local governments

By JAY GALLAGHER

ALBANY BUREAU

(Original publication: April 23, 2007)

ALBANY - Former Lt. Gov. Al DelBello of White Plains was among those named to a panel by Gov. Eliot Spitzer today to study ways to consolidate local governments - and possibly cut property taxes.

The panel, which has a year to develop a report, will be led by former Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine.

"New York is uncompetitive with other states largely because of our property taxes,'' said Lundine, 68, former mayor of Jamestown, Chautauqua County, and a former five-term congressman who served as lieutenant governor from 1987 to 1994 under Gov. Mario Cuomo. "We need to improve the efficiency of local governments.''

The 4,200 taxing jurisdictions and 6,900 special districts in the state "has led to a significant degree of overlap in public services, which has had a devastating effect on tax burdens,'' Spitzer said. "Something has to be done.''

Lloyd Constantine, a top Spitzer aide who will oversee the project, pointed out that Westchester County alone, which has about 1 million people, has 322 taxing jurisdictions.

Spitzer said he realizes that consolidations have been discussed for years, mostly without changing anything, but added that "there comes a time when you can break the gridlock.''

In a later interview, Lundine said "the most likely strategy'' for consolidations is for counties to take over functions now performed by cities and towns.

Along with Lundine and DelBello, the 15-member panel includes:

— SUNY New Paltz Dean Gerald Benjamin.

— Former Rochester Mayor William Johnson.

— Brighton (Monroe County) Supervisor and former candidate for lieutenant governor Sandra Frankel.

— Corning Inc. official and former Chemung County Executive Thomas Trantor.

— Buffalo Assemblyman Sam Hoyt.

[dadbo46 50]

I hope that this panel, the Governor and the legislators have the "guts" to do something about the duplication of services that is costing all of us a fortune.

[27east 19]

This was the central theme of Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi's 2007 State of the County address. It's actually worse there then here.

[firecapt32 282]

lets start by asking who amoung you is willing to give up your chiefs car to a merged department?? just making a point

or who is willing to give up their new ladder/engine/rescue or what ever to a merged department.

not as easy as it looks didnt say it was impossible but not an easy task

lets hope this committee is diligent in their findings and honset with the citizens of the State

[Guest partyrock]

I can honestly say I would pissed to no end if I was going to lose my house to consolidation or relocation...but it has to be done. My job isn't much better in this respect. A significant portion of our Co's are distributed based on how things were 40, 60, even 100 yrs ago.

We have to put egos aside.

[Guest]

When they mentioned Counties taking over functions provided by towns, does anyone know exactly what this means? Are they talking public safety or tax related issues?

[Oswegowind 17]

We could all use a tax break. It is getting ridiculous. We use our local library, donate and all...and we are taxed by the Town and by the School District and I still can't understand why I am taxed twice for the same service!!!!!!

As well, the three local FD's that make up the TriVillage Response where I live already work together all the time, why not just have 1 fire department with enough members and not 3 separate with not enough? Three bills for every thing as opposed to 1? This is why I like Peekskill's plan to centralize their dept to one house!

[27east 19]

When they mentioned Counties taking over functions provided by towns, does anyone know exactly what this means? Are they talking public safety or tax related issues?

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I'm pretty sure it has to do with the various special taxing districts (sewers, garbage, water ect.) not public safety per se.

[bil14ga 1]

When they mentioned Counties taking over functions provided by towns, does anyone know exactly what this means? Are they talking public safety or tax related issues?

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It means geeting rid of the waste that local governments preform that are duplicated at the county level. Example: In Dutchess County, each local town has its own assessors office complete with record management. This is also true for each local town. Also each town has a tax collector. Often these tax collectors have to go to the county and pay the county for the bill that you get in the mail. Seems silly and a waste.

As far as the fire departments, we could get rid of alot of equipment that is not really needed. In a county like Dutchess, do we really need all of these rescue trucks that we have. I say no.

Merging services could save us the tax payers a huge amount of money. This is not just at the fire department level, but all levels of government.