Batavia

This is a long and careful study, with thoughtful, honest, and enthusiastic guidance from the local study committee.  The website provides an excellent example of providing information to the public.

Amid all the detail, a few simple calculations reveal the basic financial results of the study.  Referring to pages 8 and 9 of the "First Report to the Community" shows the following. (All numbers are on an annual basis.) Current city and town expenditures are $18,731K. Projected savings due to consolidation efficiency are $212K.  Projected increased revenues are $790K from AIM incentive funding, $50K from gross utility receipt tax, offset by a lost of $20K in court revenues, for a net increase of $820K.  Two results are, for me, striking.

1. The projected savings due to consolidation efficiency are 1.1% of the current government expenditures.

2. NYS AIM incentive funding is offering to pay $790K to achieve a savings of $212K.

The first observation suggests that the city and town of Batavia have very efficient operations, something local citizens should be proud of.

The second observation raises the question; How can a net increase of government spending of 578K/yr be considered an improvement in government efficiency?  This incongruity is found in a number of other studies. The NYS AIM incentive funding appears to be warping the financial conclusions of dissolution decisions.