COUNTY LEADERS TOUT SUCCESS IN RESHAPING GOVERNMENTS
AT PATTERN FOR PROGRESS BREAKFAST
Consolidation, shared services, business attraction top agendas
in Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan Counties
NEWBURGH – County leaders of Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster detailed numerous examples about how they’ve consolidated services and cut expenses in an effort to realign government to reduce taxes during a Hudson Valley Pattern For Progress breakfast Tuesday
About 330 attendees heard Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus, Sullivan County Legislative Chairman Luis Alvarez and Ulster County Executive Michael Hein explain how innovation has resulted in new programs that target and nurture business development, social programs and urban areas. They also discussed their bipartisan approach in consulting each other, working together and exchanging best practices. That collaborative spirit is at the heart of Pattern For Progress’ regional approach to growth.
For instance, Neuhaus explained how tens of millions of dollars have been cut from Orange County’s budget. He also pointed to lower costs due to fewer residents needing social-services assistance as a result of the improved economy. Hein said Ulster’s property-tax levy is less than when he took office in 2010. Molinaro touted a broad reshaping of government toward contemporary priorities, including creation of the state’s first Crisis Stabilization Center for those with addiction and mental-health issues. Alvarez detailed construction plans for a new jail that has been approved, a solution needed for decades.
But leaders also shared frustration with state- and federal-government mandates, which comprise the lion’s share of county budgets. And they talked about resourcefulness in powering forward to find solutions to even the most vexing situations. In Orange County, Neuhaus discussed complexities of the Kiryas Joel community’s growth. In Dutchess, Molinaro talked about coping with mandates from Albany that counties must shoulder.
Pattern President and CEO Jonathan Drapkin moderated the fifth annual breakfast discussion at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Audience questions during the 90-minute program explored job-creation and retention techniques, how to help nonprofit organizations and models for reducing layers of government.
The breakfast was sponsored by Delaware Engineering, Empire State Bank, Keane & Beane P.C., Bellefield at Historic Hyde Park, The Chazen Companies, IBM, Jackson Lewis P.C., Marshall & Sterling Insurance and The State University of New York at New Paltz.
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit policy and planning organization that promotes regional, balanced and sustainable solutions to enhance the Hudson Valley. Visit PatternForProgress.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter at @HVPattern and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/PatternForProgress.
