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burberry outlet london NY effort emerges to solve
ALBANY A county executive is moving to bring fiscally stressed local governments together to share their best ideas before they become 'distressed' under a new state definition.
Ulster County Executive Mike Hein is trying to help local governments help each other before they reach 'distressed' status, a designation that could trigger state involvement in restructuring local operations. On Tuesday,burberry outlet london,burberry online store Sacred Heart back on top in, he will announce a series of statewide forums to identify innovative ways local governments have found to ease their fiscal pain that can ultimately lead to higher taxes and fewer services.
Hein hopes that by bringing people and strategies together, the project can develop solutions and identify state and federal barriers to change.
'Ultimately, this will allow local governments to both protect taxpayers and continue to deliver high quality services,' he said.
Hein is president of the New York State County Executives Association and has discussed the effort with Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The governor was faulted for failing to work with local officials after Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner criticized the Cuomo's pension reform proposal in February.
Former Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch, a leader in a national effort to save local governments, said Hein has shown he's willing to innovate. Hein has sold the county nursing home to private developers while other counties face mounting costs of operation. Hein is also exploring the privatization of mental health services for adults,burberry online store, another move that would save money.
Casting off such expensive but important services can upset constituents, as well as end sources of patronage jobs. All of that makes saving municipalities difficult politically.
'It's a growing problem nationwide, absolutely,' Ravitch said in an interview with The Associated Press. He is a leader, along with former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker, on the State Budget Crisis Task Force that is researching the municipal financial crisis and advising governments.
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Hein's objective is to help local governments avoid becoming distressed under a program proposed by Cuomo. Under the governor's plan, a special state panel would be created including his budget director,burberry outlet uk, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, and other government and finance expert. They would use a formula to determine if a municipality is distressed. The panel would then help create a plan to restructure the local government's finances and offer an incentive in state aid, if the restructuring plan is followed.
But Ravitch said more is needed.
'The revenues aren't matching the expenses,' he said. 'You can raise one or cut the other,burberry outlet store, or do both,burberry online outlet, but restructuring alone isn't going to change that.'
Cuomo's panel would provide a step before a local government has to accept a state financial control board. Those boards take over a local government's finances and are provided extraordinary legal powers to renegotiate labor contracts and make other dramatic changes in how a town,burberry outlet online,burberry online store ‘Lights Out’ District- 977, city or county operates.
Miner, the Syracuse mayor and co-chairwoman of the state Democratic Party appointed by Cuomo, along with local leaders from across the state held several meetings last year. They discussed how to avoid insolvency as populations and tax bases decline, while the cost of public employee pensions, health care and more rise sharply. The group had wanted the governor and Legislature to ease, or eliminate, state-required programs, protections for unions, and other mandates, denying it seeks a major bailout with state funds. Cuomo has been critical of the group,burberry outlet, saying it seeks bailouts the state can't afford.
Miner said counties face some specific problems, such as rising Medicaid costs, which are different than those faces by cities, which face rising costs with public union contracts with police and fire departments.
'Any time you are talking about local government and ideas and solutions, it's a good thing,' Miner said in an interview Monday. 'I would welcome the discussion and participation.'
Miner's effort has sought a meeting with Cuomo, which the governor hasn't yet accepted.
Instead, he proposed his panel for distressed communities, noting that state government overcame huge deficits but still isn't in a position to provide more aid to local governments.
Hein makes it clear he isn't trying to push Albany the same way.
'It's clear that a dramatic increase in state aid is not a viable solution to the many problems facing local governments,' said Hein. |
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