$200,000 OFFSETS

POLICING COSTS

Seward’s ‘Pilot Program’ Approved

For 2 Cities Hosting SUNY Campuses

ONEONTA – $200,000 is en route to the City of Oneonta to offset policing costs that result from being a SUNY host community, state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, announced a few minutes ago.

The money was included in the 2016-17 state budget agreed upon by the state Senate, the Assembly and Governor Cuomo by last week’s April 1 deadline.

“This is a big win for Oneonta,” said the senator, who introduced the bill in the Senate last month.

“Moreover, this signifies the state’s recognition that SUNY host communities and their local taxpayers contend with added costs on a regular basis and that we must address this disparity.”

This year, the money – $200,000 each to Oneonta and Cortland – is a “pilot program,” the senator said, while legislation is developed to give similar aid to all SUNY host communities.

“The positives are great,” Seward said of hosting a SUNY campus.  “However, there is a financial trade-off that often goes overlooked.”

With City Hall struggling with rising costs and the state’s property-tax cap, “the state must advance genuine mandate relief measures,” he continued.

For his part, Mayor Gary Herzig called the $200,000 “a welcome relief … Senator Seward’s advocacy is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to working with him to highlight the need for tangible, long-term relief.”

The senator said he has already introduced legislation seeking “lasting mandate relief” for not just policing, but for fire protection and code enforcement.

The legislation, (S.4643), has already won support from local officials and the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM).

It has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.  Companion legislation (A.6416) has been introduced in the state assembly by Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton.