By Dave Lucas
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Utica, NY – The Oneida County Executive is calling upon New York State Government to pay $29 million in reimbursements. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr., is asking New York State Government to pay $29 million in reimbursements owed to Oneida County for state-mandated programs operated by County Government. Picente said that Oneida County is facing a huge slowdown in reimbursements for state mandated Department of Social Service (DSS) programs such as Medicaid, child welfare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and public health.
"Ever since April, State Government has been holding back on the payments that are owed to Oneida County for services that we are required by the state to provide," Picente said. "This is unfair, and this is simply the state's attempt to pass its fiscal disaster onto the backs of the counties, just the way state government has passed the burdens of high-cost programs onto the backs of counties. New York State's deliberate policy of tampering with the fiscal soundness of county governments by reducing their cash flow in order to protect the state is a violation of the spirit of partnership that should exist between state and local governments. We balance our budget; we adopt our budget on time; and I resent having our cash flow squeezed by those in government who can't or won't fix their own budget mess."
Mark Levine, the Deputy Director of the New York State Association of Counties, says that Oneida County's plight is similar to that of other counties across New York State. Governor Paterson's office did not return calls for comment. Levine notes there is a huge lack of communication between the counties and the state Capitol. Picente has been in touch with other county executives around the state: many are experiencing similar uncertainties.
"It's bad enough that the state mandates programs that force us to spend money; now they refuse to even pay their share of what they require us to do," Picente said. "This is just one more symptom of the fiscal problems at the state level that are making it difficult for county governments to be fiscally secure."
Picente said that county governments and county taxpayers should not be bearing the burden of the state's long-stalled budget process. "Oneida County purchases services and goods from many vendors. We pay our bills on time - and continue to do so despite the state's withholding of $29 million that is rightfully ours. I am demanding that the State of New York pay its bills because the longer this situation goes on, the more serious it becomes for Oneida County and all other counties." Picente expressed concerns about the county budget, having to raise taxes and what he sees as an "unrealistic" New York State property tax cap.