Category: Editorial

State Commandeering Local Property and Sales Taxes Last year, counties and New York City sent more than $12 billion to Albany to fund state-mandated programs and services. So far, the State Budget being negotiated by the...

The 2019-20 NYS Budget proposals include reforming the criminal justice system, including the Pre-Trial Justice Reform Act that eliminates cash bail and pretrial detention for certain offenses. State leaders are now negotiating...

The Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) program has been through the wringer this budget season. And as the 2019-20 State Budget continues to be debated at the State Capitol, the $60 million appropriation in AIM funding...

As state leaders continue to negotiate legislation to legalize adult use cannabis in New York State, county governments are emphasizing the local impact of this policy. Regardless of which level of government opts-in to...

NYSAC Launches Mandate Monitor to Track State Role in County Property Taxes The New York State Association of Counties today released its Mandate Monitor to help counties quantify how local property taxes are used by the State...

It’s not commonly known, but community colleges in New York State are funded through a three-way partnership: the state, the student, and county governments. “This was intended to be an equal partnership. However,...

The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) commends the Governor’s Executive Budget proposal to improve cellular coverage in upstate New York. “We still have huge gaps in cellular coverage in too many...

A statement by NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario in response to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s renewed call for making the property tax cap permanent The Governor’s continued focus on making the property tax...

Today, counties across the state are urging Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to make modifications to the Governor’s proposed expansion of the Returnable Container Act (“Bottle Bill”), which would add a...

The Governor’s thirty-day amendment “fix” to earlier cuts to the Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) uses future Internet sales tax revenue that he is taking from counties to cover forced shortfalls....