RVC villager takes on Albany's waste

Months of research for 13 Herald columns focusing on fiscal reform culminated on April 14 when their author, Hal Peterson of Rockville Centre, was joined by experts charged with the oversight of New York’s rambling bureaucracy of public authorities and state and local agencies, to address the need for meaningful reform.

In the downstairs meeting room of the public library, against a backdrop of slides filled with facts that were the basis of his columns, Peterson reviewed the history of an often dysfunctional, gridlocked, corrupt state government and described legislators’ soaring political rhetoric as paying lip service to change without actually effecting any.

One of the slides illustrated more than 300 state and 771 local authorities, many operating as virtually independent arms of government, issuing 94 percent of all state-funded debt without voter approval. Another visual charted the billions of dollars in cutbacks in aid to localities in the state’s current budget.

Peterson said that New Yorkers would continue to see high debt — and high taxes — unless something is done. He said that state residents are in need of a leaner, smarter, more efficient and affordable state government.

David Kidera, director of the new eight-person State of New York Authority Budget Office, was the first of two guest speakers. Kidera, who is responsible for the oversight of 480 state and local authorities and local development corporations, said that his mission is to make public authorities more accountable and transparent, using provisions in the Public Authority Reform Act of 2009. Right after he gave his presentation, Kidera — alerted by his BlackBerry — learned of a report by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli that cited a “pattern of abuses by local development corporations” that are “out of control and skirting the law” at taxpayer expense.

Kidera said that state authorities spend $29.4 billion and local authorities, another $105.3 billion — which, combined, equal the size of the state budget, and that 60 percent of the state’s debt is incurred by the Dormitory, Metropolitan Transportation and Thruway authorities. He also said that New York probably needs legislation to abolish, dissolve or consolidate as many as 160 authorities. Although his office is dealing with budget and staffing limitations, Kidera said he is confident that his efforts are beginning to make a difference.

Joseph Galante, the state’s assistant deputy comptroller for strategic planning, spoke briefly about some of the comptroller’s audits and encouraged the use of a new website, www.openbooknewyork.com, which lists how the state — and more than 3,100 counties, towns, villages and school and fire districts — spend money.

The two-hour session attracted a number of attentive village residents, including Mayor Mary Bossart, who serves as chairwoman of Rockville Centre’s Community Development Agency.

In wrapping up, Peterson offered eight specific suggestions — most of which focused on transparency and accountability. They will be addressed in his upcoming columns and currently appear on his new website, www.ReformAlbanyNowRegistry.com — a source of information for those interested in working to restore the state to a path of fiscal responsibility.