Report Urges Local Governments To Form Partnerships

Attorney General Spitzer today announced an effort to help address pervasive fiscal problems facing municipalities across the state.

In conjunction with the annual meeting of the New York State Association of Towns and Villages in New York City, Spitzer released a booklet prepared by his office entitled: "Making Government Work: Intergovernmental Cooperation, Partnering and Consolidation in New York State."

The 43-page booklet is intended to serve as a guide for cash-strapped local governments looking for ways to provide essential services at lower cost. The booklet outlines the various ways local governments can consolidate or cooperate with other local governments in providing necessary public services.

"There are many ways local governments can work together," Spitzer said. "Joint efforts may be as simple as a town and a school district agreeing to share the cost of snow removal or as dramatic as the actual consolidation of towns, villages or districts. Such efforts can help reduce the cost of government and hold down or possibly reduce burdens on taxpayers."

New York State has more than 1,600 local government units, including 932 town governments, 554 village governments and 705 school districts. Many of these municipalities face daunting fiscal challenges due to declining tax bases, increased demands for services and reduced aid from state and federal sources.

Spitzer noted that under state law municipalities have broad powers to undertake jointly any activity or service each participant has the power to provide separately, and that such efforts can provide savings.

"Unfortunately, the uncertainty regarding the limits state law places on consolidation and intergovernmental cooperation often becomes an obstacle to changing the way local governments operate," Spitzer said. "This booklet is intended to assist local government officials in navigating through the many state laws governing the joint efforts of local government."

The new booklet prepared by Spitzer's office summarizes the key areas of law governing intergovernmental cooperation and consolidation and also identifies several dozen examples of successful cooperation and consolidation efforts throughout New York State. Among the examples cited are:

• Operating joint fueling facilities for town vehicles;
  
  
• Joint purchase of snows plows and other equipment;
  
  
• Formation of purchasing cooperatives for office supplies;
  
  
• Joint operation of juvenile detention facilites;
  
  
• Consolidation of ambulance services;
  
  
• Merging code enforcement units;
  
  
• Joint purchase and development of recreational facilities; and,
  
  
• Sharing department of public works manpower and equipment.

The Attorney General's office receives many inquires from local governments asking for opinions on the legality of proposed municipal cooperative ventures. Spitzer's staff drew on this experience and other sources in preparing the booklet.

The booklet was prepared by Martin Mack, Deputy Attorney General in Charge of Regional Offices.

Copies of the booklet are available to the public and can be ordered by calling 518-474-7330 or by going to the Attorney General's website at www.ag.ny.gov/publication-order-form.