State Mandated Programs

[Lawana Morse 81]

As there is always intelligent conversations happening in this forum, I thought I would share this publication from the New York State Association of Counties. It is a bit dated (2019) but gives a nice basis of understanding of what the local goverments have to deal with when budget season arrives. We are a few months out from the 2025 County budget discussions yet good conversation and feedback is always appreciated. 

 

https://www.nysac.org/media/mipozilb/state-of-state-mandates-2019.pdf

[Chris 2,774]

VERY informative. Thank you for sharing this Lawana!

 

[Pvt Snowball 21]

18 hours ago, Lawana Morse said:

As there is always intelligent conversations happening in this forum, I thought I would share this publication from the New York State Association of Counties. It is a bit dated (2019) but gives a nice basis of understanding of what the local goverments have to deal with when budget season arrives. We are a few months out from the 2025 County budget discussions yet good conversation and feedback is always appreciated. 

 

https://www.nysac.org/media/mipozilb/state-of-state-mandates-2019.pdf

Do most of the budget go to NYC?

[Hal 456]

18 hours ago, Lawana Morse said:

It is a bit dated (2019) but gives a nice basis of understanding of what the local goverments have to deal with when budget season arrives. 

I had never seen the mandates in publication form before this , certainly cleared up some things for me . Thank you ! 

[Chris 2,774]

What would be interesting to see is what happens when the counties are so tapped out by the unfunded mandates, the benefits of telling the state "no" outweigh the risk of not receiving the state funding. I'm kind of surprised that hasn't happened yet. 

3 hours ago, Pvt Snowball said:

Do most of the budget go to NYC?

Most of the money would go to where there is the greatest need. Medicaid has long been a bank breaker. At one time, the property tax bills would say something like, "100% of tax levy is used to fund Medicaid" or something like that. 

Interesting, and frustrating thing about Medicaid vs those of us paying for private insurance: A private insurance will penalize you for unhealthy lifestyle. 50# overweight? Higher premium. Smoke? Drink? You're paying more. Medicaid, to my knowledge, does none of those things. And I get it, you can't get blood from a stone, but you could find a way to incentivize people to take better care of their damned health and thus reduce cost.

[MsKreed 1,435]

In another topic recently ("Chemung County Asks For Public Input On Future Plans"), I posted some of my thoughts on the Medicaid mandate. 

Here's the gist of that:

We frequently hear local officials lamenting that the NYS (constantly growing) unfunded Medicaid mandates are the costliest burden on the county budget (I believe over 55% of the County’s overall tax levy). The Legislature regularly passes resolutions “urging Albany” to reverse the economic damage these mandates create without more state funding.

Obviously imploring Albany to stop the mandates just falls on deaf ears, so we need to find ways to reduce the impact of mandates at the county/local level.

Plan for FQHC (one that’s run by effective management – which Arnot has proven not to be) would help alleviate the costs to taxpayers for Medicaid services. Hooray.

However, instead of just focusing on ways to reduce the healthcare costs of Medicaid recipients.....it’s just way more logical to reduce the number of Medicaid recipients in the County.....by fostering solid "living wage" job opportunities (particularly at HS/GED education and/or entry levels).

 

With that in mind, why do we allow taxpayers (through tax breaks, incentives, etc) to subsidize businesses that perpetuate the need for Medicaid and other assistance?

Why do some elected officials continue to shower praise onto STEG/IDA and other ‘negotiating’ entities for securing deals that “create jobs”.....that are beneath subsistence level, instead of providing fulltime, living wages with health benefits that would bring residents off the Medicaid rolls?

The retail/service jobs rarely offer fulltime. Even many employees at some of the “manufacturing” employers in industrial parks around HHDS/Big Flats (Demets Candy, CemeCon, etc) rely heavily on short-term employment and/or hiring through Addecco/Manpower temp agencies with no benefits.

Unless it’s doctors, RNs or other positions requiring a degree.....most jobs that Arnot health has posted online at the HS/GED level (CNAs, Patient Asistants, etc) are at or below $16/hr.

And if health benefits are offered, it’s often sort of pricey for the wages in question. At $16-17/hr, the majority with any dependents (or single individuals working less than full time) are eligible for Medicaid.

So after we've thrown bundles of money at companies to "create jobs", the county still incurs the cost of healthcare for their workers. 

The economic development agencies like STEG and CCIDA need to be persuaded to recruit businesses that will offer wages/benefits above the Medicaid levels instead of subsistence level or below. 

 

Unfortunately, the boards of those agencies have members who are “business leaders” that may not want to face wage competition if they bring some higher paying industry to the area.

For example: The CEO of Arnot Health is on the STEG Board of Directors. How would he retain the HS/GED employees currently working for them at $15.50/hr (and likely eligible for Medicaid) if STEG was able to bring a warehouse to the area that would pay $22/hr ? 

[MsKreed 1,435]

On 6/4/2024 at 9:53 AM, Chris said:

What would be interesting to see is what happens when the counties are so tapped out by the unfunded mandates, the benefits of telling the state "no" outweigh the risk of not receiving the state funding. I'm kind of surprised that hasn't happened yet. 

This has crossed my mind as well!

I suspect it's more than just losing state funds, and they have some "fines and penalties" for failing to meet mandates.....like the sewer district project where there will be substantial daily fines if it's not completed by the DEC's deadline. 

[Chris 2,774]

6 hours ago, MsKreed said:

…if STEG was able to bring a warehouse to the area that would pay $22/hr ? 

And if the prospective employees were able to pass a drug test.

While I agree with you wholeheartedly, some of the responsibility falls on the people themselves. Especially those who’d rather smoke marijuana than maybe get a better paying job that simply requires a clean piss test.

They should be penalized as well, but that’s another topic and I don’t want to derail this one.

[MsKreed 1,435]

24 minutes ago, Chris said:

And if the prospective employees were able to pass a drug test.

While I agree with you wholeheartedly, some of the responsibility falls on the people themselves. Especially those who’d rather smoke marijuana than maybe get a better paying job that simply requires a clean piss test.

They should be penalized as well, but that’s another topic and I don’t want to derail this one.

Of course, you’re absolutely correct that those who are unemployable by choice will continue to create a burden on the state mandated programs that the County (taxpayers) shoulder.

But as long as the County’s ‘economic development’ agencies keep subsidizing low wage employers, they're proliferating the need for Medicaid and other assistance. Because even employable residents are stuck relying on those programs.

Promoting employers that offer more competitive wages (instead of a few dozen cashier jobs at truck plaza w/fast food) would at least bring the eligible recipients down to a more manageable level.

[Lawana Morse 81]

On 6/4/2024 at 6:20 AM, Pvt Snowball said:

Do most of the budget go to NYC?

No - the mandated costs that are part of the Chemung County budget stay in Chemung County. This just shows the programs that we are forced to fund within the county. The costs of these programs tend to eat up most of the property taxes collected so we then have to rely on sales tax revenue to fund the remaining needs. 

 

[Chris 2,774]

4 hours ago, Lawana Morse said:

No - the mandated costs that are part of the Chemung County budget stay in Chemung County

Oh, when it comes to Medicaid I didn’t realize that! I thought it went to the state first and then they dispersed the monies.

Thanks for the info!