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Onondaga County Comptroller Says State Mandates Cancel Any Savings From Gov't Consolidation

Karen DeWitt
/
WXXI News

Onondaga County Controller Bob Antonacci says state government is likely to negate any savings that might result from merging local governments.  One of the public’s main criticisms of the Consensus Commission’s draft report is that it did not include any savings estimates.

Antonacci has officially entered the continuing debate about the pros and cons of consolidation with a column published by syracuse.com. 

"We're not making substantive, real reform in how governments operate; we're not taking cost drivers out of how governments operate," Antonacci said.  "So, simply changing the name of the entity or rearranging the government structure isn't going to save us any money.  So we concentrated on unfunded state mandates that are so prevalent in your property tax bill." 

Specifically, the high cost of Medicaid in New York.  Antonacci says the state spends more than $2,700 dollars per capita; that’s more than Texas and Florida combined. 

"Are there any revolts in Texas or Florida that people are dying in the streets, or there's inadequate health care for our less fortunate citizens?  Of course not," Antonacci said.

Antonacci says the real problem is how Medicaid is funded.  New York is the only state that forces county governments to carry the burden, which drives up local property tax rates.  Consensus Commission Co-chair and SUNY ESF President Emeritus Neil Murphy says a section in their draft report does address mandates.

"There's no question that Albany needs to be a partner in this effort," Murphy said.  "There's also no question that Medicaid is a unique burden to local government."

Credit consensus.com
Consensus Commission co-chair and President Emeritus of SUNY ESF Neil Murphy.

The commission has said saving money is not the primary goal of their efforts, but also to deliver services more effectively.  Murphy says there are several other priorities that can help achieve that goal.

"Reduce the poverty, for example, that depresses both our minority populations and also our rural poor, Murphy said.  "It has to be an outcome of this effort.  Bringing economic opportunity...job opportunities for all."     

Central New York was awarded $25 million by the state because of a promise to seriously and comprehensively review government modernization, but not necessarily to complete a merger.  Antonacci praises the effort, and says there’s a lot to be learned from the report.  But when you take unfunded mandates into account, he calls the state’s award a trojan horse.

"'Here is our gift of modernization and consolidation for you,'" Antonacci said.  "'Go ahead and modernize, but don't pay attention to what we're doing down here in Albany, because it's not our fault.'"

The commission plans to revise its draft recommendations based on public input, and hopes to have an updated report by July first.

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.