2007 NYSAC Press Releases
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County Leaders Say Reforming Pre-School Program Will Reduce Property Taxes
December 12, 2007
County executives and county leaders from across New York State came together last week to call on state leaders to curb a growing burden on county property taxpayers.
“We applaud state leaders for their apparent focus on property taxes. But we want to make one thing clear; the road to any substantial property tax relief runs through our county governments. That is the where the majority of state programs and services are delivered locally,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, the president of the New York State County Executives Association. “The Medicaid Cap enacted two years ago provided immediate and direct property tax relief. Now we know of another program that, with the proper restructure and reform, can provide even more in the way of savings for county property taxpayers.”
Currently, New York’s Pre-School Special Education Program creates a significant financial impact on local property taxpayers, yet state policy limits a county’s administrative ability and restricts their fiscal oversight. To address the local fiscal burden and foster needed reforms, the county leaders are advocating for the removal of counties from the fiscal and programmatic responsibilities of this program.
In response to calls from the New York State Association of Counties, last year Governor Eliot Spitzer commission commissioned a task force to look at all aspects of the Pre-School Special Education Program with an eye toward making it more effective and efficient. In November, following a long and productive series of meetings and workgroup sessions, the Governor’s Task Force on Pre-School Special Education released its findings and recommendations to Governor Spitzer and members of the State Legislature.
“The Pre-School Special Education program is an essential public service for our most needy. Yet it is inefficient and not the best value to the children, taxpayers or the providers of the services,” said NYSAC President Lucille M. McKnight, an Albany County legislator. “We look forward to working closely with the State Legislature and Governor to implement the findings of the Task Force, specifically eliminating the role of counties in the Pre-School Special Education program, during the 2008 Legislative session.”
“Who is accountable to the families of the kids receiving these services? Who is accountable to the taxpayers who fund the program? We believe that the answers to these questions will help provide a framework for reform that will benefit everyone involved—the children, providers and taxpayers,” said Stephen J. Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties.
“This is a specific program that we can recommend state leaders reconfigure and it will have a direct and immediate impact on county property taxpayers,” said Acquario. “We are not in the business of education, and county taxpayers should not be funding a program over which county governments have no oversight. This is one unfunded mandate that we can reform this coming year and county real property taxpayers will be all the better for it.”
NYSAC county delegates recently made relief from this unfunded mandate a top priority.
The New York State Association of Counties is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate and advocate for member counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.
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Media Questions
For more information about NYSAC, our advocacy efforts or specific reporter requests or questions, contact Mark LaVigne or call NYSAC at 518-465-1473.
2007 Press Releases
- Albany County Executive Michael Breslin Receives Excellence in Leadership Award--June 20, 2007
- NYSAC to Host Municipal Energy Coalition's Bid Opening for Renewable Energy Credits-- June 19, 2007