Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus said this week’s national news coverage of New York State government shoving yet another state mandated responsibility down on county governments by forcing them to regulate local youth camps based on the games they play “is just one more example that proves how Albany actions drive up county government and business costs”.

County Executive Steinhaus said, “We constantly hear the rhetoric from state officials about how they want smaller government, less government, and a cap on property taxes, but when no one is looking another low profile, little known law or regulation is put on the books that adds staff time and duties and increases local costs.  Yet state officials still wonder why businesses and residents are fleeing New York.”

Steinhaus continued, “Once again, New York State government makes the national news for all the wrong reasons… more nanny government, more bureaucracy, and more regulations.   It is another New York embarrassment.”

“Just recently our local state senator wrote an op-ed column claiming his support for mandate relief stating “the path to tax relief is … through mandate relief,” ” said the County Executive. “I agree with that statement wholeheartedly, but if our local state officials really believe that to be true then why are county governments routinely burdened with more and more unfunded state mandates?  To further show the contradiction of what is said in Albany versus what is done in Albany, state officials claim they are trying to grow businesses and jobs, but those businesses are being forced to shoulder more regulations, fees, and taxes which increases their costs and simply doesn’t allow for more jobs.”

Steinhaus closed by stating, “We in county governments across New York have been trying to educate the public for decades about how NYS government drives up local government costs and taxes; the cost impacts of state mandates can vary from relatively minor increases to millions of dollars.   But all of the mandates add up and increase the bottom line of property taxes paid by our residents and business.   This most recent national news story again shows why New York State isn’t and won’t be competitive on the national scene unless significant and comprehensive mandate relief is put in place immediately.”

“The games we should really be worried about are the games that are continually played by Albany politicians, the game of endless state mandates where businesses and property taxpayers end up the losers once again,” concluded County Executive Steinhaus.