To the Editor:

The conversation about the consolidation of municipal road resources has come up in a myriad of venues and I thought it would be informative to put out a few facts that I took time to research.

For some time now, the town of Berne government has been researching the importance of effectively managing municipal services and resources to take into account declining revenues and rising fixed costs.

I understand that shared services may have downsides, including some perceived loss of local control and fear of the unknown; however, the benefits seem to far outweigh these concerns.

The cost savings will not just be a one-time event, but will be seen over time (Chemung County Highway Service Study, 2010). Consolidation should allow limiting the possibilities of duplication of services by diminishing the size of the bureaucracy and overhead costs.

By merging these services and administrative units, economies of scale and cost savings are expected (Feulner, Hautie, and Walsh, 2005). I look forward to seeing a future line by line cost-saving comparison from the Rockefeller Institute’s Study.

The town of Berne will be able to share equipment and technical expertise realized on a regional level. Town road issues will decrease while consistency and predictability will increase due to centrally managed resources.

Additionally, the quality of work will increase due to greater resources (like engineering), materials, and equipment availability. Our municipality will have greater purchasing power, enabling it to negotiate better material and equipment purchases at reduced costs.

Our town workers would be employed at a county level and realize an increase in benefits as shown in a line-by-line 2006 comparison study by the town. Additionally, we will see a potentially significant decrease in our property taxes again this year. In fact, we may receive an additional check, like we received last year, for the town of Berne again achieving stellar fiscal restraint.

We moved our many sheep, horses, and farm equipment here in 2013 from California for the better grazing land and farming opportunities that New York State provides to farmers. In my 10-plus years of northern California homeownership, I never once experienced a decrease in my property taxes. In fact, every year it increased.

It behooves the citizens in the town of Berne to recognize that our property taxes have been reduced every year for the past four years. The town of Berne also realized in 2017 a 3-percent property tax reduction. This isn’t by chance, but due to the incredibly hard work of our current elected officials keeping Berne fiscally responsible and out of debt.

Berne has consistently done the right thing for its citizens and, as a stakeholder in the town of Berne, I appreciate that fact. When has any part of the government actually worked so hard and succeeded in protecting the “little people’s” money?

As a sheep farmer with very small (oftentimes negative!) profit margins, I see great value in reducing governmental waste and pooling resources. It just makes good cents!

Emily Vincent, owner

Two Rock Ranch

Berne