Faggione to Albany - Pay your Own Bills…..

September 4, 2019 - Cuddebackville, NY - Presented to the Orange County Legislature this month are two resolutions, both regarding the latest election law changes made by our state government in Albany. The resolutions are as follows:

11- Resolution authorizing the County Executive, in conjunction with the Orange County Board of Elections, to accept and appropriate grant funds from the State of New York, $293,891.00

12- Bond Resolution authorizing the acquisition for hardware/software and related components for early voting, stating the estimated maximum cost thereof is $668,266.75; appropriating said amount therefor, including $293,891.00 expected to be received from the State of New York; and authorizing the issuance of $374,375.75 bonds of the County to finance the balance of said appropriation

As written, these resolutions ask Orange County taxpayers to pay more than $300,000 for laws written in Albany, by Albany politicians - To me, this is the modern day version of taxation without representation. At no time were county officials able to vote on these matters. No, we were left with the bill and the audacity of Albany to say, "here’s our new laws, now find a way to pay….

The Orange County Legislature has 24 functions, enumerated in our legislative manual.  It states: “Someone, somewhere, decides that a problem exists which ought to be met through legislative action….. The way the Legislature may meet the need is through enactment, amendment, or repeal of a local law, ordinance or resolution.” 

In other words, it’s our duty to pass laws, county laws, that address county issues. 

We also have a duty to adopt a budget, and exercise financial oversight over the county departments.

Yes, we make and pass laws, we also require that actions to enact these laws are funded appropriately. 

In Albany, you would think the same holds true….. A problem arises, the state sometimes finds a solution. But often, there is a catch, a catch that can cost local governments millions.

In Albany, that catch is called an unfunded mandate.  We have all heard this phrase, and we have all felt the sting it puts on our budgets and those of our municipalities. 

Sadly, these election proposals before us are a glaring example.

Albany politicians demanded these new voting laws.

Albany politicians wrote up these new voting laws.

Albany politicians passed these new voting laws.

What they forgot to do, however, is to pay for them…. Or did they….  

Yes, they pass what have been called SWEEPING CHANGES to the election process.  SWEEPING CHANGES…..What they swept under the rug was the fact they didn’t intend to fully fund these changes….. FORCING counties across the state to pick up a portion of the bill. 

Don’t believe me?.... 

Just this April, during a state seminar on upcoming new voting laws…, Assemblyman Charles Lavine, Chairman of the Committee on Election Law, said, quote “None of us believe state spending is going to cover all the costs….”

Our portion….. the resolutions today before us, seek to bond over $300,000 of Orange County taxpayer money for Albany actions…. 

These are laws made in Albany by Albany politicians, passed by Albany politicians…..

Paid for by Orange County taxpayer dollars..

To that I say no.