Costs

Buffalog Craig says it's all well and good that I think taxes are too high, but he asks, what would I do to control costs? Well, I don't know enough about what we pay for to really know what's worth cutting. I think that there needs to be a fundamental, sweeping evaluation of who does what in County government, and that it needs to be transformed into the most efficient organization it can be. I think that essential services include those relating to public safety; police, sheriff, plowing, infrastructure maintenance and repair, for instance. I think that the counties should get out of the Medicaid business altogether. It's a federal program, and it should be administered by the state. The cost would be more widely and fairly spread across the state, and Albany would have an interest in keeping costs in check. I think all patronage jobs; i.e., jobs doled out to supporters, friends, and contributors (for those reasons only) should be outlawed. It should be a shameful thing; Giambra is all too proud of them. He protects them.