Relates to consolidating or dissolving fire or ambulance districts

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 defines local government entity as a town, village, district, special improvement districts.

Section 2 amends town law in relation to consolidating and dissolving certain government entities.

Section 3 relates to the requirements for consolidating or dissolving certain government entities.

Section 4 amends the laws relating to the requirements for consolidating or dissolving certain local government entities as proposed in legisla- tive bill 5.5661 A.8501. This section sets up restrictions relating to commissioners in joint fire districts.

Section 5 amends the laws relating to the requirements for consolidating or dissolving certain local government entities as proposed in legisla- tive bill 5.5661 A.8501. This section relates to the processes that a must be taken to abolish a fire district.

Section 6 amends the laws relating to the requirements for consolidating or dissolving certain local government entities as proposed in legisla- tive bill 5.5661 A.8501. This section regards the valuation of real property in relation to taxation by a fire district.

Section 7 repeals S.5661 and A.8501 in relation to fire departments.

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 emer- gency service. The consolidation of volunteer fire districts and emer- gency 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 Compet- itiveness 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 service, 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 moti- vated to serve by a desire to protect the residents of the communities they live in-they will not migrate to other communities.

This legislation will recognize the complex mutual aid agreements that exist between neighboring fire districts and emergency service organiza- tions which already provide the types of efficiencies that may be achieved through consolidation. The volunteer workforce already provides efficient, effective, and economical services to our residents. The voluntary fire districts, departments and emergency service organiza- tions already provide mutual aid to each other. Consolidating and dissolving will have a negative economic impact.

In many instances of consolidation, the consolidated entity, or the local town, has moved toward a more expensive combination or paid fire department. Communities have developed and nurtured a volunteer system that works and saves tax dollars

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 S.5661 and A.8501, take effect.