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The proposed new Sullivan County budget is in – Ouch!
New County Manager David Fanslau has proposed massive layoffs, $5.9 million in cutbacks, and a property tax increase of 3 percent among other things. The legislature will now debate the plan.
We all knew that something had to be done. Our spending has been out of control for such a small county as ours for sometime.
What Fanslau has proposed might have farther reaching ramifications than what is visible on the surface.
In order for our county to survive, our job market must improve. If we keep on the same path, Sullivan County might be left with no working middle class.
With the proposed layoffs and elimination of employment through attrition, one has to wonder what middle income jobs will be left in Sullivan County?
I will be the first to advocate less government and consolidation.
Firing county workers due to a budget crunch and not work performance must be a major concern for all of us. Who will actually get axed? Will it be first one in first one out, or will other factors come into play?
If a County worker has seniority or bumping rights they may stay on the job, while the better qualified worker is let go.
Also, what about the jobs which were filled over the past several years due to political patronage and other reasons? Will these people still be employed by the County while others are let go?
Our workforce whether in Sullivan County government or not must have job opportunities, otherwise this will lead people to either leave our area or be compelled to apply for governmental subsidies. In the long run we will only wind up paying for all this.
Starting off a budget by cutting and eliminating jobs might not be the greatest of ideas. On the other side, we all know that our government is too big, and there needs to be cutbacks.
The problem is the job market here. At least in places like Orange County the job market is thriving with all types of employment opportunities, such is not the case here.
We need an innovative plan of action in Sullivan County to create jobs so that a middle class will survive here.
Casino Gaming is one major industry that will bring the resort industry back to life in Sullivan County. All levels of jobs will be created. The positive ripple down economic stimulation will be enormous. Just look at all the employment Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods created in Connecticut. Look how their economy is thriving - the same could be in Sullivan County.
Other types of commerce such as the Internet, and high level manufacturing jobs could also begin to bring us back from the brink.
The Sullivan County Partnership must work with the County to achieve this goal.
Instead the Partnership is blasting Fanslau’s proposed budget cuts because they are not getting the funds they want. In reality I am told that the Partnership informed Fanslau that they did not need County money, but when they found out the IDA was cutting their contribution, they went on the attack.
In any event they must sit down and work together for one common goal - and that is Sullivan County’s economic future.
One area Mr. Fanslau should be working on aggressively is government consolidation and spending.
We could be saving enormous amounts of monies if we combined purchases with our towns and villages.
All of our officials, County, Town, and Village must hold a summit to see what they can consolidate and what costs they can cut. Not only would we be saving money and eliminate red tape, but our government would be running more efficiently and soundly. |
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