Context
Government in Buffalo Niagara region consists of a large, intricate network of town, village, municipal, county, state and federal units. In fact, the public sector is one of the region’s largest employers, with 18 percent of the working population employed by the government (U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000). In recent years the financial picture for the public sector has become bleak, with budget crises plaguing most government units. These difficult times make the measurement of government performance even more critical.
What Government Measures
The State of the Region measures Government performance based on its definition of the five core purposes of government: to provide leadership; to facilitate economic vitality; to provide efficient, equitable, and effective service delivery; to be flexible and responsive; and to be open and accountable. The project’s 11 Government indicators measure access to government, equity in representation, local government fiscal health, government collaboration, equity in representation and civic engagement.
The Road Ahead
In terms of the availability of data on Government performance, most relate to fiscal and cost measures. As a consequence, performance in key dimensions of government performance, including accountability, leadership and responsiveness, is in need of quantifiable assessment.
Government Indicators - (Latest Indicator Updates)
3.1 Local Government Employment — 
(Nov 2000 )
Local government employment as a share of total regional employment for the eight counties of Western New York
3.2 Local Government Revenue Sources — (Feb 2005 )
Data on revenue sources for Western New York's counties and municipalities, including taxes, intergovernmental aid, fees and non-tax income sources
3.3 School District Revenue Sources — (Nov 1999 )
Proportion of Western New York school district revenue from intergovernmental aid and property taxes
3.4 Local Government Debt — (Feb 2005 )
Debt per capita for Western New York counties and municipalities
3.5 Cost Containment — (Nov 1999 )
Cost-containment ratio (equal to change in operating costs of local government divided by change in rate of inflation) for Western New York local governments and school districts
3.6 Bond Ratings — (Feb 2005 )
Bond ratings for the eight counties of Western New York and Southern Ontario
3.7 Access to Government Online — (Dec 2002 )
Municipal presence online in the binational Buffalo Niagara region; factors keeping municipalities offline; types of information provided on municipal Web sites. [Note: This indicator replaced "Award-Winning Financial Reporting" in 2000].
3.8 Property Revaluation — (Jul 2005 )
Status of property revaluations for Western New York municipalities, with comparisons by county
3.9 Regional Cooperation — (Dec 2002 )
Number and type of collaborative service agreements in the binational Buffalo Niagara region
3.10 Voter Enrollment and Turnout — (Nov 2007 )
Percentage of the eligible voting population registered to vote in Western New York; percentage of registered voters that cast votes in a selected election
3.11 Public Meeting Accommodations — (Dec 2002 )
Types of municipal accommodations for persons with disabilities in Western New York; proportion of municipalities with designated ADA compliance coordinator and with grievance procedures for resolving ADA-related complaints
Progress Over Time