State mandates continue to hurt counties, says Putnam exec

CARMEL – Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell may support the state-imposed tax cap, but she says another component on the state level is lacking.
State mandates continue to kill counties, which need them reduced, said Odell.
“The pressing issue, which continues to be the pressing issue, is Albany’s refusal to look at mandate relief,” she said. “We have a $145 million county budget and $100 million of it goes immediately to Albany to fund their programs. We don’t have any oversight. We have no participation when it comes to building efficiencies and that’s where the taxpayers get hurt.”
Odell said along with the tax cap, Governor Cuomo was supposed to help with mandate relief.
“He is hanging on the fact that he put a cap on Medicaid, but there are 89 other mandates,” Odell said.  “It is responsible government to make sure that taxes don’t increase. That is a nice sound bite, but it is also being responsible to keep your promise and say you are going to work with the local governments and figure out how we can continue provide the services, but do it more efficiently.”