Chairman’s Column
Jim Hoffman
January 2012

The 2012 Board of Supervisor’s Organizational Meeting was held on Tuesday, January 3, 2012, at 9:00 a.m.  I am very pleased that I was unanimously re-elected as Chairman of the Board. Other appointments to the Board included Clerk of the Board, Mrs. Sandy Sloane, and Deputy Clerk of the Board, Mrs. Debbie Liseno. 

Sodus Supervisor Steve Leroy was appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Board.  Two new supervisors joined the Board of Supervisors this term – Rose Supervisor Kenan Baldridge and Savannah Supervisor Mike Kolczynski.

The Board of Supervisors is prepared to face a number of difficult financial challenges in 2012.  Paying for the delivery of services required by the state government (commonly referred to as mandates) with local property taxes is going to require a lot of creativity and attention.    The cost of these programs is increasing.  We in county government have almost no control over them, but are on the front line to collect the taxes needed to fund them.

Unless there are some changes in funding these “mandated” programs, the Board will be ultimately forced to make decisions to either raise taxes or reduce services. We can only hope that there are some changes soon such as the restructuring the funding of Medicaid.   We must find some needed changes in a system that has evolved over decades. State mandates are a wrong and unfair burden on the property tax payers of Wayne County.  If the State decides to provide a benefit or service it is only right and proper that they pay for it from resources (i.e. taxes) they control.

Another issue of concern this year is the International Joint Commission’s (IJC) effort to gain support for a new plan controlling the levels of Lake Ontario.  The IJC was created by a treaty between Canada and the U.S. in 1909 to protect and manage the Great Lakes.   The most recent plan allows for even higher lake levels than the plan proposed a couple of years ago by the IJC and then withdrawn after public opposition.  If implemented, the higher lake levels will be devastating to the lakeshore and bay communities, property values, tourism and quality of life. 

The plan does not provide an assessment of anticipated damage to lakeshore properties and businesses nor does it provide for compensation for damages which will be in the millions of dollars.   This plan is a threat to the economic well being of our county. You will be hearing much more about this plan and the Board of Supervisor’s strident opposition to it in the near future.

Several initiatives at the state level in 2011 are positive but have implications. The property tax cap adopted last June was a first step to reduce property taxes.  However in order to be effective it must be coupled with a reduction in mandates for meaningful tax burden relief.

The newly formed Regional Economic Development Councils are based on a regional approach to economic development and revitalization.  This new approach does provide hope for some very good projects in our region which will benefit all of us.  All state grants in the future must be approved by these Councils. Although numerous elected officials are members of these Councils, they are not voting members.

In the context of the Tax Cap and the Regional Economic Development Councils, it seems that the role of county government is diminished. We in local government must continue to build relationships and advocate for the interest of our county to ensure that our voice is heard. As long as we are on the front line delivering services and charged with responsibility to pay for them, we must be a full partner with our state government and the other county and local governments in our region to get through the challenges we are facing. 

We are entering into a new era in local government – a new era in which the voice of local government needs to be heard like never before.  The Wayne County Board of Supervisors will make sure that voice is heard loud and clear.