State Commission on Local Government Releases Final Report

After a yearlong series of public hearings, research and analysis, on April 30, 2008, the New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness issued its final report and recommendations to Governor David A. Paterson at an event in Albany, New York. Institute Director Kate Foster joined 14 other appointees from across the state on the Commission which was established in April 2007 to examine ways to streamline local government, reduce costs, improve effectiveness, maximize participation in local elections, and facilitate shared services, consolidation and regional governance.

Among the Commission's 73 recommendations are measures to regionalize certain governmental services, improve election systems and better inform local voters, modernize municipal structures and processes for the over 1,600 general purpose governments (cities, towns, villages) and 3,100 special-purpose local governments, including school districts, fire districts and public authorities, and provide nearly $30 million in incentives for transformative structural changes.