Reforming Local Government: Taxpayer Savings

Reports have shown that, in many instances, savings can occur through reorganization and modernization of local government.

According to the Department of State:

Taxpayers can save $245 million by merging highway services and the like.

According to the NYS Commission on Local Government Efficiency & Competitiveness:

26 local shared service initiates, such as joint sewer and water service, would result in at least $16.7 million in savings.

According to the Center for Governmental Research:

If the Village and Town of Albion consolidate taxpayers can save at least 18% in property taxes.
If the neighboring Town of Gaines also consolidates with them, taxpayer savings are at least 22%.
If the Village and Town of Seneca Falls in Seneca County consolidated taxpayers can save at least $978 a year on a house assessed at $100,000.

According to audits of Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman:

$18 million could be saved in the Town of Hempstead by transferring sanitary district management to the Town.
A small reduction in costs of commissioner-run special districts would yield $23-35 million in annual savings.

These are some examples of how tax dollars can be saved by modernizing and reorganizing government, even without reducing services.