Counties in the New, April 14, 2017

• By: NYSAC
• On: 04/14/2017 11:26:33
• In: Counties in the News

NYSAC
Victims of our own success
“From our perspective, each and every day that officials go to work, they're there to deliver the most efficient form of governmental services they possibly can,” said Stephen Acquario, a lawyer and director of the New York State Association Of Counties.  “It's inherent in the position itself.”
 
What leadership in New York State often has to deal with at the local level – which the state seems to overlook – is the very nature of how the regions they govern are organized. It all goes back to the years following the Revolutionary War where, to repay its soldiers, state governments created a grid of towns and 100 acre tracts within those towns which later, became the basis of the local tax structure: a system intended to provide local services within a particular, convenient boundary that was easily understood.
 
But over time, as American life became more complicated, how things were funded and how the structures of government were maintained began to outgrow the town and county system, blurring the lines between what roles individual municipalities should play and what they shouldn't. What partly caused this is New York State's tradition as a “home-rule state,” a protection under the constitution which dictates that as long as state or federal law isn't breached, village, town and city governments can govern themselves as they see fit. Oftentimes, this means the “inefficient” practice of maintaining their own town governments, their own highway departments, sometimes even their own police force. 
 
But to save money, like is done in many cases throughout the state, these governments often look to other towns – or other counties – to see what can be shared between them, like the trend of school districts replacing school houses in the early-20th century, for instance, or Tompkins County creating a risk pool for health insurance encapsulating the public employees of six surrounding counties with its public health consortium, a critically acclaimed healthcare structure in government circles.
 
“It's well-settled in the state that we are a ‘home rule' state,” Acquario said. “What's not well-settled is how it happened. From my perspective, the establishment of the towns, the cities, the counties, was largely organized as taxing jurisdictions to respond to local and community-based needs that the state of New York was not providing.”
 
NATIONAL
2016 County Population Estimates Data
 
STATEWIDE
Governor compels local governments to have shared services plan
 
State heard call to 'Raise the Age'
 
Cuomo's Latest Consolidation Gamble
 
Unclear if Governor's Service-Sharing Plan Can Save Counties Money
 
New Criminal Record Sealing Law in New York
 
LONG ISLAND
Money for New Septic Systems
 
SCCC's proposed fitness center with Olympic-size pool gets $2M from state
 
County Executive Bellone Calls for the Nomination of Candidates to the Suffolk County Women's Hall of Fame
 
HUDSON VALLEY
Orange County gov tackling opioid epidemic
 
Ulster's Hein signs ‘Pet Sellers Law'
 
Oil Spill In Orange County Leads to Water Testing
 
Former Orange County executive gets back into politics
 
Joan M. Silvestri named Rockland Commissioner of Social Services
 
County Executive's Corner: A Dirty Deal
 
CAPITAL
Schenectady County Legislature approves $70M Union College project
 
County lawmakers to consider fireworks ban; public hearing set for May 1
 
Green Island deli owner gets $22K microenterprise grant from Albany County
 
NORTH COUNTRY
Counties see jump in first quarter sales tax collections
 
Details emerge on land bank
 
Lewis, DANC officials celebrate single-stream recycling facility
 
County scouting hotel, restaurateurs for airport expansion
 
MOHAWK VALLEY
Study: Oneida County ranks third in state for places to own a home

SOUTHERN TIER
What to Know About Broome's Plan for Shared Services (Video)
 
BC Exec. praises En-Joie staff for quick course cleanup following floods
 
County health department celebrates 75 years of service
 
CENTRAL NEW YORK
Victims of our own success: State punishes Tompkins County for cost-saving efforts
 
Tax abatement approved for City Centre project
 
Audience members take stand on major issues at merger debate
 
New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo discusses central New York highlights of 2018 budget
 
Madison County Brilliant Ideas at Work open house April 22
 
FINGER LAKES
Seneca County supervisors nix proposed budget guidelines
 
County working with districts to educate students on distracted driving (Video)
 
Seneca Falls board gets an earful about landfill — for nearly two hours
 
WESTERN NEW YORK
David Callard announces he will retire from County Legislature

Governor establishes wind turbine setback
 
Lorigo secures support for Meals on Wheels, HEAP
 
Treatment options for opioid addiction must be more available
 
Wyoming County Indigent Parolee Program to get $180,000 in state funding
 
NCCC named second best community college in New York
 
Poloncarz joins in preparations for Armed Forces Week
 
Power companies could face fines for last month's slow response to the windstorms that blew through Upstate NY