Rockland County to Cover Election Costs for Towns, Providing $1.2 Million in Relief

By M. C. Millman

Rockland County has announced a significant financial initiative aimed at alleviating the burden on local municipalities. The county has decided to take back Election Chargebacks from town governments and will now shoulder the costs associated with running elections in these areas. This move is anticipated to bring approximately $1.2 million in economic relief to the affected localities.

Rockland County has faced financial challenges since well before 2017, when it was forced to cut costs, leaving the towns and villages to bear the financial burden of elections alone. One cost-saving endeavor instituted while the county had budget issues was shifting the responsibility of funding elections to the towns and villages. Other funding support, including college chargebacks and tax revenue sharing, was also cut at the time.

Rockland County has since balanced its budget and so the decision to cover election costs was re-adopted to help reduce the financial burdens on the towns and villages.

"The decision to assist the towns and village of Rockland County with covering their election costs is the right thing to do," Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee Legislator Aron Wieder shares exclusively with Rockland Daily. "While cutting that expenditure from the county budget was necessary during the years the count budget was not balanced, that is no longer the case, and it is high time to revert to the way things were and to reinstate the Election Chargeback repayment process throughout Rockland just like it used to be."

The decision to cover election costs will benefit twenty-one villages and five towns in Rockland County. The expenses, which total over a million dollars annually, include salaries for staff, voting equipment, machines, ballots, and more. It's worth noting that school districts, which conduct their own elections, are not included in this funding initiative.

Rockland County's decision to cover election costs for towns and villages marks a significant step towards fostering financial stability and supporting local governments. This initiative reflects the county's commitment to addressing the needs of its constituents and ensuring equitable access to essential services.