County urges state mandate relief

CANTON — St. Lawrence County officials peppered state lawmakers Tuesday with questions about looming state budget cuts, but got few concrete answers.

However, county leaders seized the chance to deliver a strong message: state funding cuts must be combined with mandate relief so the county isn't stuck paying for expensive programs it can't afford.

"State funding for mandated programs is not state aid," County Administrator Karen M. St. Hilaire said. "We provide services you mandate we provide."

Ms. St. Hilaire and county legislators met for about two hours with state Assemblywomen Dierdre K. Scozzafava, R-Gouverneur, and Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa.

State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, joined the conversation by speaker phone and Rayan S. Aguam, deputy chief of staff for Sen. Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, also attended the special meeting in the Legislature's chambers.

Until Gov. David A. Paterson releases his state budget in January, state lawmakers said, they have little information to share about potential funding cuts. They agreed they expect them to be severe as the state grapples with a projected $3.8 billion budget deficit.

"I think we're all going to be taken aback by the budget," Mrs. Russell said. "I'm not going to sit here and pretend we're going to have a good budget. I'm not optimistic. I think we need to prepare for a very difficult year and a difficult year after that."

County Legislator J. Patrick Turbett, D-Potsdam, said it seemed illogical that SUNY Potsdam, where he's employed, is targeted to lose $7.5 million in state funding, while public school districts have not lost any state aid so far this year.

"The gridlock between the two houses and the governor is leaving all kinds of inequities out there," Mr. Turbett said.

County Legislator Peter W. FitzRandolph, D-Canton, defended the governor and blasted the state Legislature for failing to make deeper spending cuts earlier this year.

"As far as I'm concerned, the governor has me convinced the Legislature has its head in the sand," Mr. FitzRandolph said. "I hate to be rude, but I'm losing my patience with all of you."

Mr. Aubertine predicted that state funding for public schools and health care will face the deepest cuts in next year's state budget because they receive a large portion of funding.

Unlike past years, he said, it's unlikely the Legislature will have the ability to restore funding to targeted cuts.

"I think the biggest cuts will be to the big spending areas, health care and education. I'm not advocating that, but logic would dictate where you spend the most money is where the most money can be saved," Mr. Aubertine said. "That's not to say that counties and local governments won't feel the impact."

Ms. Scozzafava agreed that some level of state mandates should be lifted when the state reduces funding for required programs and services delivered by county government.

"We cannot make cuts in those areas without releasing those mandates," she said.

Besides cutting payments to counties, state government needs to reduce its own spending, and there are many places to cut, Ms. Scozzafava said.

"We need to streamline agencies and authorities. There are a lot of redundancies," she said. "It's going to be a difficult year and also a very political year, with a contentious budget process."

St. Lawrence County received about $221 million in state funding in 2008, which was about 12.8 percent of its budgeted revenues, according to figures provided by County Planning Director Keith J. Zimmerman. Federal aid provides 9.7 percent of revenue.