Editorial: Government consolidation law

New York now has a new government reorganization law that makes it a lot easier for local governments to consider (voluntarily) mergers and consolidations. It also makes it a lot easier for citizens to demand that they do, through a petition and referendum process. And county governments can take a leadership role by pointing out where streamlining and efficiencies can be found.

State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo (left) deserves credit for a carefully thought-out law, and for skillfully navigating the political waters to get it passed. Now we'll see who steps up to take advantage of the improvements.

The law is the focus of our editorial today, and we've included links to the law and to "how-to" guides as well.

Think there will be any takers?

Comments

[Mark]

Cuomo has a reputation of being a political hack, I give him credit on this for at least stepping up, this time and showing leadership which is sorely lacking at all levels of gov't.

[BobbyCat]

Any takers? No.

I don't know any local officials interested in change. They are comfy with the old status quo and so is the Dem and GOP hierarchy. They might talk the talk about reform but the words 'reorganization, consolidate or merger" are not in their vocabulary.

Why should they change? I think that most local officials get elected to go through the motions, sit through interminable public complaints in order to collect the health benefits and pump up their state pension. They campaign on public service but they serve for the benefits.

Thank you Mr. Cuomo, but finding local officials (or candidates) interested in true reform will require new party leadership.

Without that, we'll get a lot of fake efforts in the name of change such as the vote to downsize the EC legislature from 15 to 13. It's just window dressing.

[my2cents]

Please go to the website of State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo .
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/bureaus/legislative/government_consolidation/for_citizens.html

Click on the link above - there is a section called "A citizens guide to reform"

This new law empowers the voters and every resident - you can do it yourself - you don't have to depend on "local officials (or candidates) to get the ball rolling.

If New Yorkers want change in the cost and size of Government - click the link above.

Challenge a friend - next time they complain - give them the web address and ask, "What are you going to do?"

[Dave Marx]

There's more to this than you think. Consolidation sounds good, but is it really? As a town grows, either to population growth or through consolidation, it gets less responsive and continues to grow.

If towns are consolidated, will government and expenses actually shrink? Or just continue to grow? Will it get more or less responsive? I say less; way less. The farther away your councilman, representative, or congressman is, the less they'll waste their time on your petty concerns.

If you write or call a republican Senator, you get back a form letter spouting the party line. When I call or write Louise Slaughter or Brian Higgins, I get back a form letter spouting the party line. And forget about Schumer, he sends gold-plated form letters.

I think local government is the only government that does and will respond. When you walk up to your councilman, who happens to be your neighbor, and you ask him "what the hell are you doing?", he has to give you an answer. You may not like it, or he may change your mind, or you may change his, but you get an answer. If still no satisfaction, vote him/her out. But the higher up the food chain they get, (the farther away from you) the less relevant you become.

[OPMike]

Dave Marx is spot on. He hit the bulls eye dead center with his comments about the many pitfalls regarding consolidating small, responsive local governments into an unresponsive large and costly distant government entity.

Small, responsive, and cost efficient local government is exactly what the Founders envisioned. This is the true American way. When government gets too big and too distant you get the kind of spectacle we witnessed when a bunch of useless, redundant and completely unnecessary State Senators stuffed their faces, and their wallets, at a $5,000-a-plate fundraiser Friday at the downtown Buffalo Chophouse. And you get to witness the arrogance and pompousness of an Antoine Thompson being driven to the affair in a black Chevy Trailblazer, "exuding from the passenger seat the self-importance of royalty."

Consolidation may sound good to the overburdened New York taxpayers. But when you take a close look at the numbers posted on Kevin Gaughan's website, you will see that most of the money he complains so loudly about actually gets spent on federal, state, county and city of Buffalo politicians, and their armies of costly assistants. The smaller town and village governments, even though numerous, are actually the most cost efficient.

Not only are the local town and village governments much more cost efficient, they are also more responsive. Go ahead, call Mayor Brown or County Executive Collins and see for yourself exactly the kind of responsiveness you get from a large government entity.

[wil]

Bush expanded the federal government more than any other president in history but you didn't have a problem with that huh?

[you know better]

wil' Bush was a piker compared to what we now have in office. Unless you want to play dancing with the Czars. We made a big mistake and we need to correct it.
This country cannot survive 3 more years of our present administration. We made a mistake and must admit it before it's too late. The last campaign was built on 100% lies for votes.
Bush isn't in office we must all come together understand we made a mistake and take our country back.

[wil]

I don't agree with you..... neither does a majority of the country for that matter....