By DAVID P. HOSMER
In the article "State mandates adding up for local governments" (Oct. 15), many government programs funded by the taxpayer were addressed. However, I found the solutions to these problems to be lacking in any real substance.
In many cases the local governments would be simply passing the costs on to the state that has a $2 billion shortfall in its latest 2013 budget. I don't see the logic in Andy Goodell's theory that as more people retire and newer employees are hired under the Tier 6 pension reform that savings will grow.
As more people retire, the pension funding will become a bigger problem. The savings Mr. Goodell is talking about will not be recognized for decades. Unless there is some kind of reform to the current pensions (tiers 1-5) very little has been done for the taxpayers who are not part of the public pension scheme.
As a result, more people will continue to leave the state. Corporations will continue to set up in states with a business friendly environment. This whole article is just kicking the can further down the road.
Until the public sector unions are addressed as Scott Walker did in Wisconsin, the state of New York is on an unsustainable path and is not a desirable place to live.
David P. Hosmer is a Brocton resident.
