VERONA- This week, the Turning Stone Resort Casino hosted county leaders from around the state for the annual New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) conference.
Amidst workshops and discussions that delved into various aspects of county governance, a group of county executives took a moment to break away for a news conference to update the media on the challenges facing their counties.
One prominent issue that drew unanimous concern among the county executives at the was the ongoing migrant crisis. They expressed a shared belief that the handling of this crisis has been less than satisfactory at both the state and federal levels.
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus (R, Chester) articulated their collective frustration. “What we’re seeing in New York State right now is an epic disaster. The immigration policy is a national embarrassment. There is no cooperation between the White House, the governor of New York State, and the mayor. They’re all pointing fingers at each other. The situation is getting worse and worse.”
Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente also took the opportunity to voice his concerns. Picente focused on the state’s initiative to shift certain county elections to even-numbered years, a plan he and other county leaders oppose.
“Their reasons for doing this are, quite frankly, a lie,” said Picente. “They say it’s going to save money. We still have to run elections in those odd years.”
“Why did they do it? Let’s be real frank. They did it so that all of us, legislators, and others would have to make a choice if we wanted to run for statewide office. Plain and simple. It’s ridiculous, it’s political,” he added.
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply