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County Legislator O'Dell's Commission for Fiscal Vision and Accountability Tabled While Tamagna's and Ball's Budget Forum Looms
Budget forum decried by other Legislators
by Margaret Sternberg
Much of the lengthy May 1, 2007 meeting of the Putnam County Legislature was spent in arguments that pitted one or another legislator against colleagues and tainted the atmosphere of what is usually a cordial gathering. At times legislators' anger was visible as people for the most part refused to moderate the respective stands taken.
With barely controlled emotions, Legislators Mary Ellen O'Dell and Vinny Tamagna sparred over an O'Dell resolution approving an eleven member Commission for Fiscal Vision and Accountability, which would have also authorized O'Dell to recommend to the legislature the names of 11 county residents to serve on the Commission.
The purpose of the Commission is to explore alternative measures to help address the budget issues the county has recently faced and is expected to face in the future.
Tamagna, who has been suggesting the idea since 2005, again recommended that an independent review be undertaken on the budget in order to find weaknesses in the budget, find out what other counties were doing and to build efficiencies into future budgets. He added that O'Dell's idea was a "nice chitchat group…[but] it is not going to give us the answers we need to have…" Tamagna then produced a resolution, to the apparent astonishment of his colleagues, that the county's auditor be engaged to do an independent review. Because no other legislators had had a chance to review it, Tamagna's resolution was not acted upon that evening.
Legislator Terry Intrary supported the original resolution, saying that the Committee "encourages people to become involved in this [the budget] process. They should be involved so they truly understand…Chit-chat is what we hear, and when we hear chit-chat, then it's our job to take that chit-chat and put it into a budget process."
O'Dell disagreed strongly with Tamagna, saying that she did not understand a comment of Tamagna's implying that either her Committee be formed or the budget forum he was co-sponsoring take place. She said her understanding was his forum was for the coming year, whereas her Committee was planning for five or ten years ahead. She also described herself as "shocked that you [Tamagna] would take this position that I am looking to put a coffee klatch together." Trying to pacify Tamagna, O'Dell asked that Tamagna respect her suggestion as she respected his idea, saying they were on a "parallel path" in trying to deal with the county's future budgets.
Tamagna countered with wonder that her Committee appeared close to formation within one month of the idea having been introduced, also saying that never during his years on the legislature had a legislator been put solely in charge of deciding who would sit on a committee. Normally, he said, committee members are approved by the full legislature.
After an initial, failed attempt to table the resolution, a second motion to table it succeeded and the resolution will return to committee.
In a statement released to the media, O'Dell said, in part, "…the Legislature has been ineffective in providing real long term solutions to the current budget woes…The refusal to allow distinguished residents of our county to volunteer their time and lend their expertise to assist our taxpayers by bringing new ideas and new approaches to relieve our fiscal burden is a disappointment."
In another heated exchange, a discussion of what was then the upcoming forum on the "budget crisis" to be held May 5 turned into a polite verbal free for all among a majority of legislators until finally brought under control by an impassioned and personal plea from Legislator Robert McGuigan.
In a blistering attack Legislator Tony Hay lambasted the idea of the forum, which was being co-sponsored by Legislator Tamagna and State Assemblyman Greg Ball, saying that neither individual was as qualified as either the Putnam County Executive or the County's Commissioner of Finance to discuss the issue. Hay also accused the co-sponsors of using the forum for themselves in order to take credit should the County prepare a budget with a tax increase less than projected.
Hay also compared school to county taxes, flatly rejecting the idea that county taxes were the issue driving people from the county who could no longer afford to live here. Hay suggested several ways, on a state level, that some of the county's financial burdens could be alleviated and suggested that the forum be forgotten and that "Albany…pass meaningful legislation."
Legislator Terry Intrary verbally eviscerated Ball, describing him in excruciating detail as having "rendered himself inefficient" as an Assemblyman because "his conduct during the election has isolated himself (sic) from the Assembly floor." Intrary accused Ball of using "sound bites" to try to convey effectiveness, instead of working with the legislature, describing the tactics as "not what this county needs."
Intrary said the "budget crisis" had been created by "irresponsible acts by our state officials…our Assemblyman does not have the power to go to Albany to put that Home Rule [the request for a .5 percent increase in the county sales tax] on the Assembly table and get it passed." Intrary said it was Ball's "job" to put through the tax increase which, combined with the renewal of the sales tax increase of two years ago, would then put a 2008 county property tax increase at 20 percent. Intrary said that paring down the 20 percent increase would then be the job of the county legislature.
Tamagna fired back, describing the forum as constructive and a means for generating new ideas, and defending Ball as having passed numerous pieces of legislation as well as having gotten over $100,000 in grants to an Assembly district that had received $40,000 last year. Tamagna described Ball as "the new kid on the block" with "innovative ideas," and that it would take some time to "accept…we can all work together."
Tamagna also expressed relief that Ball had submitted the renewal of the sales tax to the Assembly but had not submitted the sales tax increase, citing its possible effect on the "mom and pop" businesses in the county. Tamagna concluded that the county could no longer "do business as usual."
Legislator Sam Oliverio also lined up against Ball, suggesting that he live up to "his campaign promises" on changing school taxation and not "do(ing) our business."
Following close to an hour of argument, Legislator McGuigan was able to close the discussion out on a note of being appalled and disappointed in his colleagues for personal attacks, causing Legislator Intrary to issue an apology for the aggressiveness of his remarks.
Another extensive discussion took place regarding the posting of Legislative Minutes to the Internet. Legislator Hay advocated for the Minutes to be posted in an expanded form, as opposed to "Action" form, which would only indicate the votes taken or decisions rendered with a summary of the discussion and some additional technical material. Hay later pointed out the irony that if the "Action Minutes" resolution was approved, the public would only see that he had voted against the resolution and would have no way of knowing that he had done so only because he favored a more extensive version.
Chairman Birmingham said the resolution represented a "good first step to the benefit of the public," while also suggesting that the content of the posted Minutes could be revisited in the future.
Legislator Oliverio suggested the Action Minutes resolution be approved, but that a Podcast of the meetings be made available.
Legislator Tamagna agreed with Hay, citing the usefulness of more complete Minutes for research purposes and for the retention of public input on issues. Tamagna also questioned the usefulness to the public of abridged Minutes, concluding that in the long run the Action Minutes would create more work for the legislature and that he would not vote for the resolution.
The resolution was tabled unanimously and will return to the Rules Committee for further discussion on the Minutes' Internet format.
In the more usual business of the legislature, a resolution was passed paving the way for the Mental Health Crisis Line. The fiscal impact of the measure was $27,000, which will cover training and operating costs through the end of the year. A month-to-month lease at the Tilly Foster Farm for a period of one-year was approved for the Putnam Arts Council, which recently lost its building to a fire.
The June agenda for the meeting of the full Legislature will be posted on the PCN&R's website as soon as it becomes available.
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