2007 NYSAC Press Releases
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County Projects Showcased at Shared Services Seminar
In April, Governor Eliot Spitzer declared there are too many local governments in New York State and called on local government leaders to consider what programs or services they could share, consolidate or eliminate as a way to reduce the tax burden and increase government efficiency.
Today, six successful programs were on display in Genesee County at a Shared Services Seminar hosted by Cornell University and the New York State Association of Counties.
“Historically, sharing or consolidating any part of government is met with initial resistance. The programs highlighted today are proof that once you get past the resistance, real progress and real savings are possible,” said NYSAC President Lucille M. McKnight, an Albany County legislator.
About 150 local government officials from across Western New York and the Finger Lakes region descended on Genesee County for today’s seminar, which included a presentation of findings from a shared services study conducted by the SUNY Fredonia, a half dozen breakout sessions on specific projects, and a presentation by the Governor’s Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competition.
The individual breakout sessions included:
· A county-wide code enforcement program in Wyoming County,
· Highway shared services programs in Orleans and Chemung counties,
· An employee health Insurance initiative in Tompkins County, and
· Public safety shared services initiatives in Genesee and Broome counties.
The common theme, across the projects, was a desire to reduce costs and improve the delivery of service to citizens in the respective communities.
“Out of necessity—having been continuously asked to do more with less—counties are at the forefront of looking at innovative ways to reduce costs and improve the quality and efficiency of the programs we provide,” said Stephen J. Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties.
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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