BILL NUMBER:A8962

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation
to  exempting  certain  emergency  personnel  from  consolidation  and
dissolution of certain local government entities

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To protect both  Fire  Districts  and
the  taxpayers  of New York from the consequences of the consolidation
of Volunteer Fire Departments.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section  1  defines  local  government
entity  as  a  town, village, district, special improvement districts.
Local government entity shall not include  school  districts,  special
purpose  districts  created  by  counties  under  law,  fire districts
including volunteer fire  districts,  ambulance  districts  or  police
departments created by towns under the town law.

Section 2. Effective date.

JUSTIFICATION: This legislation will serve to protect taxpayers in the
communities   that   volunteer  fire  and  emergency  service  workers
volunteer in. Consolidation  of  fire  and  emergency  services  would
provide  gradual  deterioration  of  volunteer services and create the
requirement that  taxpayers  pay  for  staff  of  fire  districts  and
emergency  medical  services.  The financial crisis that the state and
federal governments are presently addressing  further  emphasizes  the
              

importance   of   preserving   the  best  value  in  local  government
finance-the volunteer fire and emergency service. The consolidation of
volunteer fire districts and emergency services  can  result  in  high
costs  and higher taxes. Consolidation would cause considerable damage
to a volunteer system, which saves  the  state  and  local  government
millions of dollars each year.

The  New  York  State  Commission  on  Local Government Efficiency and
Competitiveness issued a report in 2008 on the concept of  dissolution
and  consolidation  of  local  governments in order to reduce the real
property tax burden. That Commission suggested that further study  was
required  with  regard  to the provision of fire services but no study
has been commissioned or completed. There has  been  no  cost  benefit
analysis. Consolidation presents an unknown as to the determination of
how services would be provided in the future.

Our  communities  cannot  afford to lose the benefit of volunteer fire
and emergency services. The volunteer workforce of New York  State  is
motivated  to  serve  by  a  desire  to  protect  the residents of the
communities they live in.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: None

EFFECTIVE DATE: On the same date and in the same manner of the laws of
2009, amending the general municipal law and other  laws  relating  to
the   requirements  for  consolidating  or  dissolving  certain  local
government entities, as proposed in legislative  bill  numbers  5.5661
and A.8501, take effect.