Morning Read: Albany’s mixed message to local governments
For months now, the Cuomo administration has been sending a couple of messages. One is “get lean.”
Cuts in aid to local school districts and governments, combined with the property tax cap, and Governor Cuomo’s emphasis on mergers and shared services all send a pretty clear signal.
But then come moments like this, reported this morning by the Plattsburgh Press Republican:
A state commission recommends that 16 to 18 officers be added at the Franklin County Jail to keep up with the increased inmate population.
Hiring 16 to 18 people in Franklin County would be a very big deal, but as Legislator Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay) told the newspaper, it’s out of the question:
“We can’t afford to hire 16 to 18 people. We can’t afford to hire one. I don’t know what we’re going to do, but the committee will talk about it Thursday.”
Saranac Lake is also in the process of building a new $12 million dollar water system, despite the fact that the current system has served without major problems or adverse health impacts for decades — all because of a state mandate.
Solving the “unfunded mandates” issue is tough and thorny, but if the state keeps asking communities to do more, while cutting aid and eliminating the ability to raise taxes, it’s hard to see how communities can put the pieces together.
What do you think? After decades of feuding and mixed messages, can Albany and local leaders sort out a shared agenda here?
Tags: politics
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The network of agencies, commissions, and mandates in New York State have a life of their own independent of who the current governor is. In my opinion it is very possible that the governor could have one agenda and the state machine have another or simply continue on through inertia as they have always operated. Part of the governor’s job will be to control this system and change it which is no small task.
Part of the problem seems to be that the State gov’t is so vast and inefficient that one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing. On the one hand we have the highest state official in the state (theoretically anyway)suggesting one thing while the vast apparatus continues on as if nothing has changed. It’s like a big lumbering ocean liner that can’t immediately stop or change course. We see the same thing at the federal level.
Lewis County went through a similar experience that Franklin county now finds itself in. With Lewis it was building a huge, mostly unnecessary, elaborate, multi-million dollar court house. While I think an argument could be made that a new court house, or at least a major renovation, were necessary and overdue, once the state court system ruled we weren’t in compliance with their mandates, it became a hugely expensive project. It has more security, including additional state security personnel ($$$$), than the Pentagon. Even the site itself was finally dictated by a State Judge after the county opted to move it to a new location.
Do as I say, not as I do is the mandate from the state and its agencies.
Without mandate relief, the 2% cap is a cruel joke.
Part of the cruel joke will come when local property taxes go up more than 2% because payments to the state pension fund are going way up (in some cases more than 30%) and those payments are excluded from the 2% cap.
“Without mandate relief, the 2% cap is a cruel joke.”
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t let me ‘thumbs up’ this comment 10 times, which it deserves.
Speaking of mixed messages, I’m surprised this editorial didn’t merit a mention in your usual roundup… about our slash-and-burn governor’s lavish use of state aircraft far beyond what is necessary.
http://poststar.com/news/opinion/editorial/editorial-aircraft-use-lands-cuomo-in-hot-seat/article_578c7b6c-c794-11e0-8702-001cc4c002e0.html
I’m no fan of Andy, but that airplane story is a yawner, a great scoop, except that his use is perfectly within the guidelines. Joe Bruno and Alan Hevesi are laughing into their home-confinement bracelets right now at this “graft.” And the Post Star piece is idiotic. Hot seat? Seriously?