Cuomo announces grants for local-government cost reduction

Several local governments in Central New York are among 68 governments statewide that will share in $4 million in grant funding to implement initiatives to streamline operations and “save taxpayer money.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced the grant awards.

The New York State Department of State will distribute the Local Government Efficiency (LGE) grants to 18 projects through which local governments are collaborating to reach operating efficiencies and savings goals, the governor’s office said in a news release.

The grants play a “central role in our efforts to empower” municipalities to increase efficiency and reduce costs for taxpayers, Cuomo said in a news release.

“With our support, local governments across the state are pursuing innovative approaches to their core operations. This ultimately enables local officials to more effectively control costs and reduce taxes levied on home and business owners in their communities,” Cuomo said.

The grants include an award of more than $87,000 for Onondaga County and the Central New York Interoperable Communications Consortium. The state is also awarding more than $361,000 for the consolidation of fire services in the towns of Lysander and Van Buren, according to the governor’s office.

In the North Country, the town and village of Gouverneur will use an award of $396,000 to consolidate their wastewater-treatment plants.

The state also awarded the Mohawk Valley Water Authority a grant of more than $112,000 for a western Mohawk Valley regional-water study, the governor’s office said.

In the Southern Tier, the state awarded Elmira Heights and Horseheads a grant of more than $49,000 for consolidation-feasibility study.

The village of Watkins Glen will also use a grant of nearly $44,000 for the Project Seneca Sewer consolidation study, according to Cuomo’s office.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com