Fresh Rockland County Legislators want budget cuts

Two newly elected Democratic Rockland County Legislators and one new Republican Legislator have broken ranks with C. Scott Vanderhoef and the County Executive's nonsensical budget.

The three, Democrats Joe Meyers and Jaques Michael and Republican Frank Sparaco are being quite critical, dismissing the accuracy of the Rockland County budget and questioning the budget review process. And the three legislators have come to the same conclusion: that strategic spending cuts are needed before they'll put their stamp of approval on the 2009 budget, which comes up for a vote tomorrow.

The three are talking about merging departments in order to reduce administrative costs, which is one measure that this blog has advocated in the past. For example, they're reviewing the possibility of merging the Tourism, Human Rights, and General Services department with the County Executive's Office. They say that taxpayers can save $2.5 million from the annual budget by doing so. In a county that runs a $700 million annual budget, this may seem like a small tail on a big dog. But this is the type of scrutiny that budgets need. This is what Barack Obama was talking about doing on a national level—going through the budget line-by-line and cutting waste where it is found.

While we can't comment on the specifics or the feasibility of the plan by the three County Legislators, LEFT of the HUDSON believes that it is crucial for all levels of local government to look at reducing overhead costs. We do not subscribe to the Reaganesque adage that "government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them," but we do believe in responsible government at all levels. And we've come to a point where the many layers of local government are starting to put a stranglehold on the families living in Rockland County. The County, most towns and villages in the county, and many other taxing authorities are increasing their rates well past the level of inflation. And Vanderhoef, on the County level, is guilty of overestimating tax revenue for the past several years, which has put the county finances in shambles.

Let the actions of the three legislators be a warning to other local authorities: Be wise with our tax dollars. There's a lot of waste at all levels and the residents are starting to take notice. Further, we're going to be looking for politicians at all levels that will find creative ways to reduce costs while maintaining quality services. Those elected officials that are towing the company line will soon find strong challengers for their jobs. And voters won't care if there's a (D) or an (R) behind the name; they'll support the candidates that want to shake up the system.

So we applaud Legislators Meyers, Michael, and Sparaco for being brave enough to question this budget and we hope that they'll continue to find ways to save taxpayers money, while not cutting vital services.