Municipalities to join forces to save residents money with service sharing
Nassau County, NY - Nassau County Executive Laura Curran released the draft of the 2020 Shared Services Plan. The plan, which was developed with input from both the Rockefeller Institute and the Shared Services Panel, aims to reduce property taxes by joining forces with municipalities and special districts within Nassau County to combine services, storage, equipment, technology and more.
“There are so many ways municipalities in Nassau County can collaborate and deliver improved governmental services at a lower cost to the taxpayers. With help from the Rockefeller Institute and our intergovernmental partners, I am confident we have created a strong and cost-effective shared services plan. The 2020 Shared Services Plan will not only save residents’ money, it will help our County and fellow municipalities run more efficiently,” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.
The plan’s key initiatives include:
- Create “Nassau Saves” online portal to expand the use of joint purchasing and the sharing of equipment and personnel
- “Digitize Nassau,” a program to develop joint efforts to digitize mandated records
- Shared Information Technology Services
- Enhanced Energy Efficiency Programs
- Expand Joint Waste and Recycling Contracts
- Shared Vehicle Maintenance Facilities and Fueling Stations
Many of the projects outlined in the plan have an anticipated multi-year implementation timeline. The Rockefeller Institute estimates savings of up to $7.3 million in 2020, if fully implemented, plus recurring cost savings with the support of intergovernmental partners.
In July, County Executive Curran held a meeting of the Shared Services Panel which included over 100 municipal leaders from across Nassau County, comprised of town, city and village officials and representatives from special districts. The goal of the Shared Service Panel was to bring together Nassau County and municipal leaders to identify and implement new ways to save taxpayers money through shared and more efficient services between local governments within the county. To maximize potential savings, the County brought in the State University of New York’s Rockefeller Institute of Government to help develop and implement the County-Wide Shared Services Plan.
Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature created the County-Wide Shared Services Initiative in 2017 which requires each county in New York, except New York City, to create a shared services plan between municipalities by encouraging cooperation through facilitating operational collaboration resulting in local property tax savings for residents. In 2019, the New York State Budget extended this law through 2021 and reaffirmed that there is $225M available for the State’s one-time match of net savings achieved from shared services actions included in a tax savings plan. Nassau County submitted a shared services plan in 2017 resulting in savings in 2018 of over $200,000 which was matched by New York State.
Panel members will convene and call for a vote on the final plan in December.