Senator Greg Ball Appointed to Governor’s SAGE Commission

Ball Tapped to Consolidate Government Agencies and Authorities by 20%
 
ALBANY, NY (01/09/2011) – Senator Greg Ball (R, C – Patterson) was one of only two Senators, and the only one from the Senate Majority, appointed on Friday to sit on Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission. The SAGE Commission was created by Governor Cuomo through Executive Order on Wednesday, noting that the excessive bureaucracy in New York has become a burden to the taxpayers.

Governor Cuomo has created SAGE as a way to eliminate at least 20 percent of New York State’s government agencies, authorities, and other bodies while also increasing government efficiency and accountability and saving taxpayers’ money. Senator Dean Skelos, Temporary President of the Senate, recommended Senator Ball to be one of only two Senators to sit on the Commission.

“My role on the SAGE Committee will be to advocate on behalf of better government and the taxpayers of this state. It’s time to focus like a laser on waste and duplicative services and get government out of the way so our beleaguered entrepreneurs and small businesses, not government, can begin to once again do what they do best, which is create private sector jobs,” Ball said. “This state is hemorrhaging jobs, hemorrhaging people, and folks are voting with their feet every day. We have one year, maybe two, to right the ship and to get the state back on track. By getting serious about cutting government waste we will get closer to doing just that.”

Focusing on the power of the people, Senator Ball has already enlisted his constituents in the cause by unveiling “You Cut Albany.” Hundreds of taxpayers are now engaged in this important exercise through his web site and through social media, sending dozens of cost saving suggestions to the Senator even within the first 24 hours.

"The excessive number of agencies and authorities in New York State government has become inefficient, unproductive and frankly unworkable," said Governor Cuomo. "The SAGE Commission will streamline this bureaucracy and recommend ways to make government leaner, more efficient, and more cost effective for the people of the State of New York."

“Previously, Albany’s solution to our state’s taxing-and-spending addiction was, sadly and insanely, to continue to dig a hole by raising taxes and fees again and again, and relying upon backdoor borrowing. A new day has come to Albany, hopefully, and this Commission is a sign that we have a Governor who gets it,” Ball said.

As one of 20 members on the SAGE Commission, Senator Ball will complete a comprehensive review of state government, including its structures, operations and processes, with the ultimate goal of saving taxpayers' money, increasing accountability and improving the delivery of government services. The Commission will report recommendations on agency and authority reorganizations to the Governor by May 1, and a final report will be presented to the governor by June 1, 2012.