Governor Hochul Announces $8 Million Awarded to Local Governments for Efficiency and Shared Service Initiatives

Funding Awarded through NYS Department of State’s Local Government Efficiency Grant Program

Projects Include Planning and Implementation Projects Designed to Lower Current and Future Costs for Municipalities

Implementation of Shared Services Help Municipalities Join Forces to Incentivize Affordability and Save Taxpayers Money

Governor Hochul has announced $8 million in grant awards for 21 projects that are designed to create efficiencies and lower costs for local governments across New York State. The funding is administered by NYS Department of State through its competitive Local Government Efficiency Grant (LGEG) Program which incentivizes New York municipalities to engage in partnerships that aim to make New York communities more affordable by reducing municipal costs through consolidations, shared services, and internal efficiencies. The opportunity creates both short- and long-term savings for counties, cities, towns, villages and other governmental entities.

“We are constantly working with our local government partners to make New York State a more affordable place to live, do business and raise a family, and many of our local governments are looking to do the same,” Governor Hochul said. “These municipalities are joining forces, looking at opportunities to lower costs and ultimately save taxpayers money. We will continue to work together and support measures that result in streamlined services.”

The Local Government Efficiency Grant Program provides both planning and implementation funding to local governments that apply to the competitively scored grant program. As modified in the 2024-25 budget, the LGEG program currently awards individual municipalities with up to $20,000 for planning grants and up to $250,000 for implementation grants.

Awarded projects include:

Capital Region:

• Town of Hunter: $1,250,000
• Town of Petersburgh: $358,107
• Warren County: $422,668

Central New York:

• Cazenovia Central School District: $40,000
• Madison County: $20,850

Finger Lakes Region:

• Village of Avon: $500,000
• Village of Brockport: $476,619
• Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority: $642,150
• Wyoming County Planning and Development: $75,000

Mid-Hudson Region:

• Town of Carmel: $1,200,000
• Town of Liberty: $21,675
• Livingston Manor Central School District: (Rockland CSD) $450,000
• Village of Rye Brook: $25,000
• Ulster County: $40,000

Mohawk Valley Region:

• Village of Fonda: $50,000

North Country Region:

• Village of Copenhagen: $682,418
• Lewis County: $1,053,070

Southern Tier Region:

• Village of Montour Falls: $32,120
• Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board: $20,000
• Tompkins County: $324,000

Western New York Region:

• Town of Evans: $316,323

Applications are evaluated based on the potential return on investment (ROI), project need, service delivery benefits, operational changes, local and regional capacity, project readiness (ability to complete the project in 5 years) and the comprehensiveness and specificity of the work plan and budget. In this round, priority scoring points were awarded to applications that included one or more of five target functions set by DOS, including: information technology services (ITS) including cybersecurity; emergency management services (EMS); shared code enforcement and planning; water and wastewater management; and climate change initiatives; as well as applications implementing of a previous LGEG planning project or inclusion in a previously adopted or pending Countywide Shared Services Initiative (CWSSI) Plan. All awards are reimbursement grants.

In recent years, DOS has made 655 project awards through its local government efficiency program opportunities, totaling over $121 million in award funding. The estimated long-term savings for local government recipients is over $684 million.

Eligible Local Government entities are counties, cities, towns, villages, special improvement districts, fire districts, public libraries, association libraries, public library systems (if they advance a joint application on behalf of member libraries), water authorities, sewer authorities, regional planning and development boards, school districts, and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).

Local Government Efficiency Grants may be used to cover costs integral to project implementation including but not limited to: legal and consultant services; capital improvements and equipment; and transitional personnel costs not to exceed three years.

A new Request for Applications (RFA) for the next round of awards is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

The LGEG grant program is administered by the Division of Local Government Services within the Department of State. The Division provides technical assistance and competitive grants to local governments. For more information on LGEG or any programs administered by the Division, please contact localgov@dos.ny.gov or call 518-473-3355. 

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News Extreme Weather and Disaster Response Costs Rise in New York

 

Extreme Weather and Disaster Response Costs Rise in New York

A new report from Comptroller DiNapoli found the frequency of severe weather in the state is growing, taking a toll on New York’s residents, property and economy. While New York is investing to reduce those impacts through the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act, DiNapoli warned that the federal government should expand its funding and efforts, not claw back funds and leave states and communities vulnerable to extreme weather and flooding.

“Extreme weather events are happening more and more often and inflicting financial and emotional stress on New Yorkers from loss of life to property destruction,” DiNapoli said. “From flooded subway tunnels and roadways to destroyed and damaged homes, the consequences are dire and growing. Fortunately, New Yorkers approved the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, which will help pay for resilience investments, but the state cannot shoulder the whole cost burden itself. The federal government cannot abandon the states in preparing for and responding to disasters.”

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Recent Federal Actions Will Have Significant Impact on Higher Education in NY

Impacts from the recently enacted federal budget law, upcoming appropriations for federal fiscal year 2026 and executive actions since January 2025 risk undermining the strength and competitiveness of New York’s higher education sector and the social and economic benefits it generates, according to a new analysis from Comptroller DiNapoli.

“New York has long benefited from outstanding institutions of higher education that serve as anchors for our communities, employing tens of thousands of people, conducting world-class research and development, attracting new residents, training the workforce and bringing vibrancy to neighborhoods,” DiNapoli said. “Federal action on student aid, international student enrollment, and support for research threatens the ability of these institutions to serve as employers and innovators. It also impacts the ability of students to afford tuition. These threats pose financial challenges to the institutions and economic challenges to communities.”

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Local Sales Tax Collections Up 4.3% Over Prior Year Through September 2025

Local government sales tax collections totaled $18.2 billion from January to September 2025, an increase of 4.3% ($747 million) compared to the same period last year, according to the quarterly sales tax report released by Comptroller DiNapoli. Growth so far this year is higher than the 3.8% average growth rate seen from January to September for the 2010 to 2019 period of recovery and expansion following the Great Recession.

“New York’s local sales tax revenues rose through September compared to last year, but federal policy actions create significant fiscal risk for municipalities amid signs of a slowing economy,” said DiNapoli. “Local officials who rely on these revenues should take advantage of the financial planning tools and guidance my office offers to help them bolster their fiscal resilience.”

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Comptroller DiNapoli Celebrates Italian Heritage Month

Comptroller DiNapoli celebrated Italian Heritage Month at the Italian American Museum in New York City. The evening honored Italian-New Yorkers whose contributions and community leadership enriches the state and makes our communities and New York stronger.

Honored at the celebration were:

• Honorable Angie Carpenter, Supervisor, Town of Islip
• Biagio Isgro, Jr., NYS OSDIA Immediate Past President 
• Monsignor Hilary C. Franco, Prelate of his Holiness and Advisor to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations.
• Thomas Quackenbush, President Teamsters Local 294
• Angelo Vivolo, President of the National Columbus Education Foundation
• Vincent F. Pitta, Managing Partner and Chairman of Pitta LLP

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Tesla Investors Should Vote Against Musk's Trillion Dollar Pay and Director Nominees

Comptroller DiNapoli, trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund, wrote to fellow Tesla Inc. shareholders urging them to reject Elon Musk’s trillion dollar proposed pay package for a lack of defined goals and to vote against all directors standing for reelection at Tesla’s Nov. 6 Annual Meeting, citing their failure to provide independent oversight and accountability. DiNapoli also encouraged shareholders to support his proposal to amend Tesla’s new bylaw that severely restricts shareholder derivative lawsuits, following the board’s bait-and-switch scheme to shield itself from potential legal accountability.

“Elon Musk’s latest pay proposal is indefensible in both scale and design,” DiNapoli said. “It would hand him another massive fortune while severely watering down the holdings of every other shareholder. This pay proposal is not pay for performance — it’s pay for power. Musk has proven to be distracted by his many outside ventures, and it’s unclear how many more billions of dollars will change that. Tesla’s shareholders cannot trust this board to design sound pay practices based on its past record, nor can we trust it to exercise true independence and accountability.”

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Couple Charged with Stealing Over $2 Million by Submitting False Medicaid Provider Claims

Comptroller DiNapoli and Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that a Town of New Windsor couple were arrested and charged with Grand Larceny in the First Degree in connection with a scheme to defraud the New York State Medicaid program of millions of dollars.

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Former Vernon Center Fire Department Treasurer Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Over $300,000

The former Treasurer of the Vernon Center Fire Department pled guilty to grand larceny in the second degree and was sentenced to serve one to three years in state prison and ordered to pay full restitution for stealing more than $300,000 from the department, Comptroller DiNapoli, Oneida County District Attorney Todd Carville, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced.

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M U N I C I P A L  &  S C H O O L   A U D I T S

• Port Ewen Fire District – Financial Management
• Schonowe Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. – Audit Follow-Up
• Montrose Fire District – Claims Auditing
• Franklin Square Union Free School District – Website Transparency
• North Salem Central School District – Audit Follow-Up

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S

• Long Island faces devastation from climate change, severe storms, NYS report warns
• Elon Musk's $1 trillion pay deal draws ire of labor unions, others as shareholder vote nears
• "Largest Medicaid fraud scheme ever prosecuted" NY couple accused of stealing nearly $3M
• Vernon Center fire chief criticizes sentence given to former treasurer
• Finger Lakes colleges could face major strain under federal higher ed funding cuts
• Local sales tax collections in New York up 4.3% so far this year, report says

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P O S T   O F   T H E   W E E K

Early Voting Check-Ins Day 8

 

General Election 2025

 

October 25, 2025 - Day 1

 

• Manhattan - 24,046
• Bronx - 7,793
• Brooklyn - 22,105
• Queens - 19,045
• Staten Island - 6,420

 

*Unofficial as of Close of Polls 79,409

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October 26, 2025 - Day 2

 

• Manhattan - 49,191
• Bronx - 14,225
• Brooklyn - 49,432
• Queens - 38,791
• Staten Island - 12,551

 

*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 164,190

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October 27, 2025 - Day 3

 

• Manhattan - 67,110
• Bronx - 19,096
• Brooklyn - 67,729
• Queens - 52,272
• Staten Island - 17,061

 

*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 223,268

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October 28, 2025 - Day 4

 

• Manhattan - 89,474
• Bronx - 24,919
• Brooklyn - 92,035
• Queens - 68,873
• Staten Island - 22,417

 

*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 297,718

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October 29, 2025 - Day 5

 

• Manhattan - 111,068
• Bronx - 30,633
• Brooklyn - 117,297
• Queens - 85,548
• Staten Island - 27,565

 

*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 372,111

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October 30, 2025 - Day 6

 

• Manhattan - 118,920
• Bronx - 32,655
• Brooklyn - 126,055
• Queens - 91,371
• Staten Island - 29,476

 

*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 398,477

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October 31, 2025 - Day 7

 

• Manhattan - 144,269
• Bronx - 37,830
• Brooklyn - 156,390
• Queens - 107,743
• Staten Island - 34,106

 

*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 480,338

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November 1, 2025 - Day 8

 

• Manhattan - 174,708
• Bronx - 46,259
• Brooklyn - 189,606
• Queens - 131,541
• Staten Island - 41,991

 

*As of Close of Polls – Unofficial and Cumulative 584,105

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES PUBLIC-PRIVATE INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT NYC’S SNAP RECIPIENTS AS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREATENS TO CUT OFF BENEFITS FOR 1.8 MILLION NEW YORKERS

 

New York Community Trust, Partnership for New York City, and United Way of New York Are Connecting with Businesses and Philanthropists to Help Hungry New Yorkers and Food Distribution Centers Respond to Emergency

 

SNAP Costs $420 Million a Month to Support 1.8 Million New Yorkers, Including 540,000 Children, 540,000 Older Adults, and Other Vulnerable Populations

 

Over Course of Adams Administration, City Has Doubled Funding for Community Food Connection Program with More Than 47 Million Pounds of Food Distributed in FY 2025  

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced that a slate of public-private initiatives will help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients continue receiving a portion of their food benefits as the federal government shutdown enters into its second month and has halts SNAP benefits to some of the city’s most vulnerable New Yorkers. Effective today, nearly 1.8 million New Yorkers who rely on SNAP to put food on the table are no longer receiving the federally funded benefits to which they are entitled, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not issued any contingency funds to sustain this critical lifeline during the protracted shutdown. These initiatives build on the city’s $15 million additional investment announced last month and the more than $820 million budgeted in this fiscal year for food services programs. Last week, two judges ordered the federal government to use emergency funds to cover food stamp benefits for Americans in November. Until the federal government complies, the Adams administration is working with partners across the city to support New Yorkers and ensure they receive the aid they need. 

“When New Yorkers support one another in times of need, we become a better city. That’s why today, along with the New York Community Trust, the United Way, and the Partnership for New York City, we’re launching a slate of public-private initiatives to support SNAP recipients in our city who rely on these much-needed benefits to put food on their tables,” said Mayor Adams. “As a child, members of my church would drop off food for my siblings and me when times were hard; this type of generosity is what makes our city great. While we sadly can never provide as much support as our federal partners, our social services agencies are ready to help New Yorkers in need, and we're calling on business leaders, philanthropic partners, faith leaders, and community members to join us in this effort.”

“Local government and philanthropy cannot come close to replacing federally funded entitlement programs, but we can certainly help support the organizations that are collecting and distributing food during this emergency,” said Kathryn Wylde, president & CEO, Partnership for New York City. “We will encourage member companies and foundations to support the efforts of the mayor and governor to meet this crisis and to invest in the funds that New York Community Trust has designated.”

“New York Community Trust is proud to stand with our partners and the City to ensure that no New Yorker goes hungry during this crisis,” said Amy Freitag, president and CEO, New York Community Trust. “Local nonprofit organizations on the frontlines of food insecurity are best positioned to swiftly mobilize financial resources to support those in need. This is what community looks like — neighbors helping neighbors.”

In a demonstration of their commitment to helping city government address the challenges of food insecurity during the federal government shutdown, private donors and companies are contributing to the launch of these initiatives under the auspices of the New York Community Trust, including:

The New York Community Trust’s Community Needs Fund

The Community Needs Fund addresses the urgent needs of neighbors throughout New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. When an individual makes a one-time or recurring gift to the fund, every dollar is directed by an expert grantmaking team to trusted nonprofits across the region.    

 

City Harvest

City Harvest rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and delivers it to New Yorkers in need in response to the persistently high need for food assistance in New York City.

 

Food Bank for NYC

The Food Bank for NYC delivers food and resources across all five boroughs in collaboration with 800 community partners. 

 

Lemontree

For those in need of groceries or meals, Lemontree helps locate food pantries in their neighborhood. 

 

The Roundtable: Allies for Food Access

The Roundtable: Allies for Food Access is a network of nine of the largest food pantries and soup kitchens in New York City. It reduces costs through strategic purchasing, advocates for frontline providers, and provides support to smaller pantry partners. 

 

United Way of New York City’s Emergency Assistance & Community Needs Fund

The United Way of New York City’s Emergency Assistance & Community Needs Fund supports critical services that empower community-based organizations with resources while keeping the city afloat.  

 

Other donors are encouraged to join this effort to support nonprofits on the front lines of this crisis and help New Yorkers affected by the shutdown. A contribution will not affect any business dealings with the city or provide special access to city officials.

The pause in SNAP funding is devastating to the city’s overall safety net and also threatens New York’s local economy. The USDA estimates that every dollar of SNAP spending generates $1.54 back into the community, meaning that $1 billion in SNAP dollars spent increases the gross domestic product of the United States by $1.54 billion. 

The city is deploying a comprehensive response to ensure at-risk New Yorkers have access to food through a variety of alternative programs and services, managing a comprehensive resource list for impacted SNAP recipients, and conducting outreach efforts in close collaboration with the city’s robust network of community-based organizations and food providers.