The Rockefeller Institute has a new report out today that’s a great primer on all those governments in New York. It takes a look in particular at layering - how almost half the state’s residents live under two local governments, while nearly ten percent live under three (take out New York City and the percentages rise to 83 percent and 17 percent, respectively).
That’s not as bureaucratically dense as some other states - 61 percent of Illinois residents live under three local governments, while just under half of Indiana’s residents do local goverment in threes.
If you’re dating a policy wonk (or you’re in the crucial courtship phase), there’s plenty of potent stuff to impress him/her, including an analysis of ways governments can be consolidated (dissolve villages, eliminate towns, merge cities with counties) and the benefits and pitfalls of doing so (the downside can be higher taxes or a need to create more special districts).
If you’re looking to get away from all that government, best bests are Hawaii and Rhode Island, which have no duplicative local governments.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
15 comments:
Eliminating duplicative local governments (town/village) would be an outstanding venture for Greenburgh to consider! The concept of being unincorporated was designed for sparsely settled rural areas outside of villages. Clearly that is not our situation now. Either reclassify as one township with nine villages and no unincorporated areas (the township being just like a central communication-collaboration unit), or re-classify Unincorporated Greenburgh as a its own city.
Go away -- no one will agree to a city as that means consolidation of school districts. Wont happen. Areas of unincorporated Greenburgh are free to form villages as it is. No issue with Edgmont, Greenburgh and Mayfair/Knollwood forming villages.
Consolidated is very good if it will save the taxpayers money.
Has anyone done a study how this would or would not benefit the residents.
About consolidating the schools not a bad idea,there I know much more money would be save.
" ... a city as that means consolidation of school districts ..."
That's actually not true. It's an (undesireable) option available, but not mandated by any state law. The school systems could legally stay as they are if we were a city.
We have to get rid of the middle man that being county government.
We not only have to report to our town government but also to county Span et al and then to Albany.
Why can't we directly report to Albany since whatever has to be don e has to pass through their hands.
Does anyone realize how much money can be saved by getting rid of the fat cats in White plains who do nothing without conferring with Albany.
We do not need Spano and his group of do nothings we in all of Westchester could report to the ones that make the laws governing this county.
White Plains has a mayor that can run the show without any fake interferance from Spano and his crew.
AGAIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT MUST GO ..
But who is going to pay for all of the $400.00 cell phone bills?
"bye bye American pie,
drove my chevy to the levee
but the levee was dry..."
"goodbye yellow brick road..."
"i've looked at life from both sides now"
"over, under, sideways, down"
"we're gonna have a revolution..."
"the times they are a changing"
"so long, been good to know you"
"Good night David;
Good night Chet;"
Goodbye Andy
5:57 -- I beleive you are incorrect. A city must include in the city school district all residents within it. It may, under certain situations, inlcude areas outside the city.
Why can't the Edgemont model be extended to all the school districts currently in existance in Greenburgh? Edgemont's only independent function is as a school district - all other government functions are handled by Greenburgh. Similarly, preserve the indepedence of the Ardesley, Hastings, Dobbs Ferry etc schools (if they so desire) but eliminate all other the duplicative functions of those village's administrations. Start by unifying the police departments and keep going from there.
We have to get rid of the county seat.
Spano and his cronies have been living a good life for too long.
Why must we report to them and then to Albany.
We should report directly to Albany so let's plan to get rid of This westchester government that is just occuping space and taking money for doing nothing.
By the way I see that Brodsky is playing nice nice to Edgemont I guess he's running again and wants that comfy seat.
Duplicate services have to go .Storm Albany with your complaints and I.m sure that there will be many changes made.
This is the only way that the taxpayers can save money.
Brodsky is playing nice to Edgemont (finally) because he doesn't want Tom Abinanti to primary him.
We could do without Brodsky .
He has overstayed in his position too long.
If Abbinanti feels that he should run against Brodsky so be it.
Getting rid of Brodsky will be a great change .
Could you imagine how much money we would save if we got rid of county government.
That's the way to go let's just report to where the big wigs are ALBANY.
Here we know that big brother is watching all that goes on.
At the county level it's a free for all.
Let's consider no county government.
There must be states that have done this .Let's check with them and see if things are better or worse.
The Town doesnt provide Fire or Schools. And the police dept. is so overstaffed and excess OT no one would want to consolidate with it.
I agree, we should combine Edgemont and GC7 school district. GC7 has plenty of space to expand for Edgemont residence.
Post a Comment