Mayors push back against Cuomo plan

ALBANY - About three dozen mayors spoke out Monday against Gov. Andrew Cuomo's push for more counties and municipalities to share services, accusing him of placing another state mandate on local governments.

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach led a news conference opposing Cuomo's proposal, which would require county leaders to convene local officials and craft a plan to be put to a public referendum in November.

The mayors, who hailed from across the state and were at the capital for a meeting of the state Conference of Mayors, are pushing for an increase in the $715 million state funding slated for local governments each year, which hasn't seen an increase since 2008.

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They knocked Cuomo's proposal as unnecessary and burdensome.

"My costs continue to go up, but I don't have the tax rate, the tax base to pay for that," said Richard Milne, the mayor of Honeoye Falls. "We need this increase in funding."

Among the mayors at Monday's news conference were Margaret Blackman of Brockport, Frederick May of Fairport and Robert Corby of Pittford.

Cuomo has touted his shared-services proposal as a way to cut down on local government costs and reduce property taxes. He included it in his $152.3 billion state budget proposal, which he and lawmakers will debate until a final budget is due March 31.

Under Cuomo's plan, each county and their municipalities would be required to put together a plan to share services, such as policing, trash pickup and others offered by local government. The plan would then go on the ballot this year. If it doesn't pass, they would be required to put forward a new plan next year.

His budget would withhold state funding for local governments unless the state Legislature approves his shared-services proposal.

Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi criticized the mayors' push for more aid, likening it to "robbing Peter to pay Paul."

“We understand some people want to protect their fiefdoms at all costs, but the governor’s plan is to get municipalities  to talk to each other and actually lower taxes for property taxpayers," Azzopardi said. "Theirs is to increase state costs that will be borne on the same taxpayers."

The mayors on Monday touted the work they've already done to share services with nearby municipalities, with Roach pointing to local fire departments who assist each other when major fires tax their resources.

Roach said his city cooperates with White Plains school district, with the city fixing the district's buses in its automotive shop rather than have the schools maintain a separate shop.

"I just felt it's the same taxpayers, so overall, it's going to save money," Roach said. "But I'm spending more money. The irony is, if we lose (state) funding, that's one of the first things I'll have to stop doing."

Some state lawmakers have aired concerns over Cuomo's plan, too.

Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, R-Suffolk County, said he gives Cuomo credit for advancing a proposal to encourage counties and municipalities to work together. But he said the plan could use more clarity.

"He deserves credit for advancing it," Flanagan told reporters at the mayors conference. "But the details -- it's hard to figure out."

JCampbell1@Gannett.com

Jon Campbell is a staff writer with USA TODAY Network's Albany Bureau.