Most of New York's lawmakers are still hiding under their desks when the subject of government consolidation comes up. I guess they don't want their jobs downsized out in the process.
Meanwhile, Rethinking Westchester Government's pitch to eliminate the existing county government in sleepy suburbia is starting to gain some traction. News Copy's sources on all sides of this feisty debate have confirmed that a handful of highly respected elected officials could be days away from joining this reform effort.
There are also a few well-known former elected officials expressing interest in the grass-roots organization, News Copy has learned, without any lobbying from any political party (though it appears the major political parties are doing everyone to sabotage what is sizing up to be a massive taxpayer revolt -- with or without Sam Zherka's rogue protest on April 25 in front of the County Building in White Plains).
Something's brewing in suburbia ...
The newest and probably most "out of the box" idea comes from Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, co-founder of the group, and he borrows from an existing MTA plan to regionalism all mass transportion in lower New York State.
Feiner asks the question: Why not regionalize county governments?
The Yonkers Tribune carried his commentary, as did the The Journal News.
Feiner applied the concept to the operation of the Westchester Medical Center, a public/private consortium of county taxpayer obligated debt.
"Westchester County residents support the Westchester Medical Center (the county guarantees the bonds). Yet, the medical center serves more than one county. A regional government that would replace the county would spread the costs to those who use it."
The medical center already serves seven counties, so Feiner's idea -- though likely to scare away neighboring counties -- is fiscally appropriate.
Feiner argued that a regional authority could also cover solid waste, health and social services -- and prisons and police ... and probably much more.
But is that just another big expensive idea?
In the meantime, Rethinking's blog (shameless self-promotion here) and website are drawing a lot of cost-efficient ideas.
Comments