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Cushman: Governor's move sends right message

By EVAN WHITE

Story Created: Dec 15, 2009 at 1:21 PM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 15, 2009 at 1:45 PM EDT

HERKIMER, N.Y. (WKTV) - President of the Herkimer County Conference of Mayors, Ilion Mayor Mark Cushman praised Governor David Paterson's announced payment reduction plan. He did so not because Paterson's push will help municipalities, school districts or others set to lose funding, but because, he said it needed to be done.

"We need to reduce the cost of government, we simply can no longer continue to reach into the taxpayers wallets to fund efficient, inefficient, where that is the case in municipal government--it's that simple, we're in a crisis."

Cushman said that he has been in talks with other county leaders in efforts to see where items can be cut. In Ilion, there is talk of sharing a fire chief with another municipality, changing what municipal employees pay for health insurance, altering vehicle purchases, among other measures.

Herkimer County Legislator John Piseck (R) said he was against the governor's plan as it stands to do quite a bit of damage locally, and could result in a bump in property taxes for taxpayers.

The governor's stated reason for delaying payments is to keep the state solvent, and not allow it to run out of money on his watch.