Friday, December 27, 2019

Cuomo gives Hamilton County the finger

Supervisor Dec 27 2019


Cuomo gives Hamilton County the finger
By PETE KLEIN
LAKE PLEASANT—It was just a year ago that the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors started the process to make the District Attorney position a full-time job, just like all the other 58 county district attorneys in New York State.
But as thing now often happen in the state that once upon a time had every right to call itself the Empire State, things do not happen the way they were expected to happen.
When the Hamilton County Board of Supervisor met on December 27, it found itself needing to pass the following resolution, which explains why what should have happened didn’t happen.
“WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors on December 19, 2018 resolved the Board’s intent to seek Legislation authorizing a Full Time District Attorney for Hamilton County through Resolution No. 405-18, and
“WHEREAS, as prescribed by Resolution No. 405-18, County Attorney Charles R. Getty, Jr. recommended an amendment to Section 700 of the County Law, and
“WHEREAS, on June 17, 2019 and June 20, 2019, S4632/A7215 passed the Senate and Assembly respectively, and
“WHEREAS, on December 20, 2019, the same day the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors was considering a Resolution to pay the Salaries in the 2020 Hamilton County Budget, S4632/A7215 was Vetoed by the Governor, and
“WHEREAS, the Governor’s Veto message sets forth the need for this change to be part of the New York State Budget due to the reimbursement to Hamilton County said change would require, now, therefore, be it
“RESOLVED, Resolution No. 373-19 of December 20, 2019 is hereby amended to exempt out the District Attorney’s salary based on the Veto of S4632/A7215, and be it also
“RESOLVED, that the District Attorney’s Salary is hereby set at the level of the non-fulltime District Attorney at $106,938, effective January 1, 2020, and be it further
“RESOLVED, that the County Treasurer and the Personnel Officer be so notified, and be it
further
“RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors hereby requests that Senator Tedisco and Assemblyman Smullen make the Amendment to Section 700 of the County Law part of the 2020/2021 New York State Budget, and be it also
“RESOLVED, that copies of this Resolution be forwarded to Senator Tedisco and Assemblyman Smullen.
The salary last year for DA Marsh Purdue was $104,441. Purdue had argued for years the job should receive full-time pay because it was a full-time job that all of her time and didn’t allow for her to have enough time to engage in a private practice.
The district attorney post in Hamilton County was part-time and had a salary of $104,441 in 2019. But if it had become a full-time position in 2020 as planned, the salary would have increased to $204,053, the same as the county judge as required by law, and difference would have been picked up by the state. Under state law, a full-time district attorney is paid the same salary as the county judge. With this veto by the governor, he is saving about $100,000 for him to help illegals get drivers licences.
The board also passed the following resolution: AUTHORIZING BOARD OF ELECTION GRANTS DATED: DECEMBER 27, 2019.
“WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Board of Elections has been awarded the Early Voting Aid To Localities Grant BOE01-C004090-1110000 for an amount up to $17,299.68, and
“WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Board of Elections has also been awarded the Electronic Poll Books Capital Grant Project BOE01-C004029-1110000 for an amount up to $18,754.02, and
“WHEREAS, both of these grants are reimbursements for actual costs per the Work Plan submitted by the Hamilton County Board of Elections, and
“WHEREAS, both Commissioners have agreed to and signed off on said Work Plan, now, therefore, be it
“RESOLVED, that the Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors is hereby authorized to sign Early Voting Aid To Localities Grant BOE01-C004090-1110000 and Electronic Poll Books Capital Grant Project BOE01-C004029-1110000.”

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