Quoted Text

Most taxed and most governed

First published: Friday, September 19, 2008

New York is one of only 10 states in which a citizen simultaneously can be a resident of a county, town and village. As a result -- not so startling -- New York is the third most government-layered state in the union.
The data are courtesy of the Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness, which spent a year studying how municipal government in New York might be made less bulky and costly. Providing services on a more countywide or regional basis was one of its recommendations.

     
The group reported its findings in July to a collective big yawn: By the time it had finished its work, Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who appointed the commission, had resigned in disgrace and successor David Paterson didn't have it at the top of his to-do list as the new governor.

In a way, that was reminiscent of the reception given to the final report of the State on the Capital Region, which spent two years studying how the area might better operate on a regional basis. It issued its final report in 1996 -- soon after Gov. George Pataki took office and distanced himself from the initiatives of his predecessor, Mario Cuomo.

Both groups have something in common other than a change in governors and enthusiasm: recognition of the oh-so-many taxing districts found in New York.

According to the Commission on Local Government, more than 4,700 entities with powers affecting taxes directly or indirectly exist in the state -- from counties, cities, towns and villages to library, fire and school districts and other quasi-government units, such as local public authorities. The Commission on the Capital Region, meanwhile, enumerated more than 400 such entities in six local counties, including 131 municipal governments, 60 school districts and 102 fire districts. groups tried to chip away at those numbers: At one point in its deliberations, the Commission on the Capital Region put villages in its cross hairs, but encouraging their elimination never made it into the final report.

The Commission on Local Government may have done it one better, though: recommending that the process for dissolving or consolidating government units be made less onerous. It calls for "a simple petition process and petition form for use by citizens wishing to dissolve or consolidate towns, villages, fire districts or special districts."

Today, dissolution/ consolidation can be initiated in two ways: by the municipality or by its residents. Since a local government might not be so interested in eliminating itself, the commission reasoned that an easier citizen petition process might be helpful.

But whether that recommendation goes anywhere is up in the air. Still, it's encouraging to see that dissolution/consolidation efforts continue. Lake George, for instance, a study last year to look at the feasibility of the town and village combining public works, sanitation or water departments -- they've joined forces to share services before -- has blossomed into a full-fledged dissolution/consolidation review.

The Village of Lake George Dissolution Study Committee has been at work since the spring, led by Fairweather Consulting of New Paltz and Elan Planning & Design of Saratoga Springs. The group, which includes town and village leaders and citizens, expects to conclude its meetings by year's end. The goal is to identify the process involved in abolishing the village and turning its services over to the town of Lake George.
"Legally, village dissolution is a unilateral act by village government," John Root, a village trustee, said last month in an announcement of the formation of the committee, which he chairs. "But our intent is to go through this study in close cooperation with the town. The idea is to find a solution that works well for taxpayers and residents in both the village and the town."
A resolution on dissolution would go to village voters in the March elections next year. If approved, the village would cease to exist on Dec. 31, 2010.

A lot of work lies ahead: monthly meetings are being held to seek public input, and a Web site in the making will chronicle the progress.

So far, no numbers have been posted on how dissolution of the village will affect taxpayers. That's usually key in dissolution/consolidation: How does removing one layer of government from village residents play out for town residents? Stay tuned. Business Editor Marlene Kennedy can be reached at 454-5492 or by e-mail at mkennedy@timesunion.com.