NYS Seal

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERMENTS
ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE
AND
ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING


SUBJECT:

New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness Report.

PURPOSE:

To review the Commission's recommendations to maximize the cost effectiveness of local governments.

Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
Auditorium
Friday, May 16, 2008
10:30 A.M.
One Lafayette Square
Buffalo, New York


The Commission was established in April 2007 by Executive Order to examine and report on ways to streamline local government, reduce costs, improve effectiveness, maximize participation in local elections, and facilitate shared services, consolidation and regional governance.

The Commission's final report includes a number of recommendations. These recommendations include: reducing special district spending by eliminating compensation for special district commissioners; facilitating the formation of municipal government cooperative health benefit plans for their employees; encouraging highway shared services agreements among municipalities, and between municipalities and state agencies; allowing multiple counties to share services of a director of weights and measures and to employ a single public health director reporting to a single board of health; transferring management responsibilities for special sanitation districts to town boards; and creating a simplified process by which citizens can submit petitions for municipal consolidation and dissolution.

This hearing will examine the Commission's recommendations and hear testimony from municipalities, private citizens and Commission members on the Commission's findings and proposals.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the above hearings should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to ten minutes in duration. Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.


Assemblyman Sam Hoyt
Chairman
Committee on Local Governments


Assemblyman William Magee
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture

Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried
Chairman
Committee on Health
Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle
Chairman
Committee on Insurance
Assemblyman David F. Gantt
Chairman
Committee on Transportation



PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on the New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness Report are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Melanie O'Malley
Committee Assistant
Assembly Committee on Local Governments
Room 520 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
E-mail: omallem@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4363 Fax: (518) 455-5182


box I plan to attend the following public hearing on the New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness Report to be conducted by the Assembly Committees on Local Governments, Agriculture, Health, Insurance and Transportation on May 16, 2008.

box I plan to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to ten minutes, and I will answer any questions which may arise. I will provide 10 copies of my prepared statement.

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I will address my remarks to the following subjects:





box I do not plan to attend the above hearing.

box I would like to be added to the Committee mailing list for notices and reports.

box I would like to be removed from the Committee mailing list.

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I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required:






NAME:

TITLE:

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