In a sweeping legislative plan aimed at allowing local government or its citizens to initiate major changes intended to modernize civic administration, state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo has gained significant support among officials who want consolidation of New York's 10,500 governmental units. His proposals include simplifying several state laws, replacing complex statutes with modern adaptations that make consolidations and dissolutions on a local level possible.
General Cuomo announced he will work with Governor David A. Paterson, leaders of the state Legislature, government reform groups, and local government leaders across New York to introduce "a comprehensive legislative package to streamline the often Byzantine and cumbersome process of consolidating local government entities, including the myriad special districts across the state."
According to an editorial in the Syracuse Post Standard, "Cuomo rightly believes that New York has too many local government bodies -- at least 10,521, including 6,927 special districts. Onondaga County is second only to Erie County with the most government entities in the state. It has 941, including 220 sewer districts, 177 drainage districts and 188 lighting districts. Cuomo says it has become a "standard practice" in Onondaga County to create government entities. 'That's why we have the highest local tax burden in the country, because we're paying for all those local governments,' he said."
More than two dozen local officials and representatives of statewide groups supporting consolidation are listed in the AG's news release: http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2008/dec/dec11b_08.html
To view an interactive map detailing special districts in New York State by county, visit www.oag.state.ny.us
