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| 3/27/2009 12:14:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Bill Sheehan/Recorder staff
Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Chairman John Thomas of Glen addresses local business leaders at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual “State of the County” breakfast at the Winner’s Circle restaurant in Fonda. Also making presentations included Assemblyman George Amedore, second from right, and Amsterdam 3rd Ward Supervisor Ron Barone. |
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State of Optimism
County leaders expect to avoid tax hike
Bill Sheehan
Recorder News Staff
FONDA - Area business leaders heard good news from Montgomery County officials at the annual "State of the County" breakfast Thursday morning.
"The county, in my opinion, is doing well," said Board of Supervisors Chairman John Thomas to open the session at the Winner's Circle restaurant. "The budget process is coming up, and it's always an issue, but for the last two years, an hopefully moving forward we'll have no tax increases. The county has been its purchasing policy and spending and we've been able to pass along those savings to the taxpayer."
Thomas admitted that keeping finances under control would be an ongoing struggle, and taxpayers were concerned about spending, but said he had "confidence in our department heads and in my fellow supervisors and we should be able to get this done."
Several other supervisors who serve as committee chairs also made brief presentations to the approximately 60 business people in attendance.
General Services Chairman and Charleston Town Supervisor Shayne Walters said that county Public Works crews made improvement to nearly 40 miles of county roads in 2008 as three bridges were rebuilt and plans for this year were equally ambitious.
Walter said the county was also taking aggressive steps to control the cost of waste disposal and that the hiring of a Solid Waste Coordinator had resulted in great strides forward.
"Every time we take a piece of trash outside of the county it costs the taxpayers. The bottom line is to keep costs down for the taxpayers," he said.
Fifth Ward Supervisor Karl Baia, chairman of the Planning and Development Committee, said that various projects through the county had resulted in the retention of 126 jobs and the creation of 90 more as well as $10 million in private investment for the growth of local industry.
Baia went on to point out his views on a number of issues, including the need to reduce the size of county government through attrition and incentives.
"You can always tell it's an election year," said 3rd Ward Supervisor and Health and Human Services Chairman Ron Barone as he stepped to the podium.
Barone said that officials were doing their best to maintain essential services for the county's elderly, youth and veterans and that the county's busiest office - Social Services - was doing its best to serve those in need and catch those trying to defraud the system.
"We know there's a lot of fraud out there, but you can't deal with it in 10 minutes ... it takes time," said Barone.
Finance Chairman William Strevy agreed with Thomas that the county stands financially fit.
"Going forward we're in good shape, but what we do in [the next few] years will form the future of the county. If we want to grow our economic base, then expanding water and sewer are part of the formula," said Strevy, adding that he hoped getting the city on board with expansion would come more easily.
"How do you weigh the future of the county and measure it in dollars and cents. We've seen some change here but not as much as that of surrounding counties. There's room for growth in here in agriculture, commercial and residential.
Public Safety Chairman John Thayer of Root, Education/Government Chairman Robert McMahon of Canajoharie and Undersheriff Jeff Smith also offered updates before 105th District Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, stepped up to offer news from Albany.
"It's good to hear Montgomery County is doing well, especially when you hear everywhere else that the economy is doom and gloom. People are wondering what's going on in Albany and, frankly I'm wondering too," said Amedore, adding that serious and immediate action is what is needed. "As business people, we have to act and fast. We're in survival mode right now,."
Amedore said Gov. David Paterson is moving in the wrong direction with his plan to cut nearly 10,000 jobs.
"Layoffs is not what we need to do to get through the budget process. We don't need to be raising unemployment. There's plenty of fat at or near the top and we shouldn't cut from the bottom up," said Amedore, adding that trimming the multiple layers of government is the way to really save taxpayer money.
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