The one word in the title that sticks out to me like a flag waving is “modernization” and of course way down in the article who is the only one against this? Read the quote below. Surprise, surprise……… it’s the unions. We are still living in the past with the unions still controlling the politicians and the state. So if you really want to see this state, county, city, villages and any other part of this state. We have got to get the unions out of their pockets and elect people that are not bought and paid for by them. They are our biggest stumbling block.

Not everyone was happy with the report. Dennis Hughes, state AFL-CIO president, called the document “misguided” and “one-sided.”

“The report contains many troubling recommendations that are not only detrimental to the financial health and well-being of working men and women, but will only serve to further hasten this state’s economic downturn,” Hughes said in a press release.

Watertown Daily Times | Report urges consolidation
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: Commission says mandate relief, shared services, modernization can save $1b

ALBANY — A commission studying local government efficiency says its recommendations can potentially save the state $1 billion.

In a report released Wednesday, the state Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness offered numerous proposals designed to decrease government spending, and thus lower taxes, through mandate relief, modernization, shared services and consolidation.

“We’re not trying to eliminate jobs and services,” said Sen. Elizabeth O’C. Little, R-Queensbury, one of 15 commission members. “The state is trying to be a partner to achieve the efficiencies necessary to reduce property taxes.”

Among the commission’s recommendations:

Encourage and enable the sharing and consolidation of services provided by local governments, requiring the centralization of certain local government functions such as assessment and tax collection, emergency dispatching, vital records and civil service commissions.

Give New York’s state education commissioner the power to force school district consolidations and restructuring.

Allow town boards to make their highway superintendents, tax receivers and town clerks appointed, rather than elected, jobs.

Encourage consolidation of local industrial development authorities and justice courts.

Restructure state oversight of county jails and move toward a single state-run jail system.

Other proposals call for lifting rules that hamper streamlining efforts, Executive Director John Clarkson said. Towns would be allowed to run their own fire departments, something now barred under state law. Counties would be allowed to share a jail, a health commissioner or a medical examiner.

“Taxpayers are fed up and angry and demanding change,” said Assemblyman William B. “Sam” Hoyt III, D-Buffalo, another commission member. “This is the first step in giving them that change. These recommendations are a major step in the right direction.”

The New York State Association of Counties praised the report.

“We are particularly pleased to see this commission include reform proposals to relieve property taxpayers from the escalating cost of housing state and local inmates in county jails,” the group said in a press release. “Having increased flexibility for jail management and regional jail structures is something that deserves serious consideration.”

Not everyone was happy with the report. Dennis Hughes, state AFL-CIO president, called the document “misguided” and “one-sided.”

“The report contains many troubling recommendations that are not only detrimental to the financial health and well-being of working men and women, but will only serve to further hasten this state’s economic downturn,” Hughes said in a press release.

The New York State Conference of Mayors praised proposals to reform “major cost drivers for local government” like the Wicks and Taylor laws, and pension and health insurance costs. But the group also expressed reservations with the report’s “false assumption that bigger government is better government.”

“The issue is not the number of local governments in New York or what functions they perform, but whether state law will allow municipal governments to perform those functions efficiently and effectively,” said Peter A. Baynes, the group’s executive director. “That is why NYCOM opposes any recommendations that would mandatorily divest local governments of certain responsibilities, or require costly local referenda that are already authorized under law.”

Sen. Little said that with the state facing “challenging economic times,” decision-makers have to make tough choices.

“Everyone wants less government, lower taxes and no change, which are hard to achieve,” she said.

Chaired by former Lt. Gov. Stanley N. Lundine, the commission was established in April 2007 to explore methods of streamlining local government throughout the state by sharing services, reducing costs and consolidating duplicative governmental entities.

The full 76-page report is available online.

Newsday contributed to this report.