NY Department of State Announces Broome County Awarded Over $1M in State Matching Funds for Shared Services Projects

The New York Department of State today announced that Broome County is receiving $1,025,621 achieved through County-Wide Shared Services Initiative (CWSSI) projects submitted to the Department of State in its 2021 CWSSI Plan. CWSSI provides a state match of county and local government taxpayer savings achieved in the first year of implementation of new shared services projects. Since 2017, the CWSSI program has awarded $4,395,630 to Broome County for implemented projects.

“Broome County and its local government partners have rolled up their sleeves and shown how financially beneficial finding shared services can be,” said Acting New York Secretary of State Brendan C. Hughes. “The benefits of participation in the County Wide Shared Services Initiative not only provide relief to taxpayers, but also modernize how local governments can deploy services more efficiently.”

As part of the County-Wide Shared Services Initiative (CWSSI), Broome County created a 2021 Shared Services Plan that identified ways to consolidate services and save taxpayer money through government efficiencies in services and community programs. 

The two shared services projects that were implemented as part of this plan and achieved taxpayer savings are as follows:

Pharmacy Prescription Program – $680,389 CWSSI Award
Binghamton City School District ($179,645) and Maine-Endwell School District ($500,744) are now saving money through participation in the Pharmacy Prescription Program the County originally entered with Capital Region BOCES in 2018. The program provides economies of scale benefits which lower the costs of prescriptions for employees.

Broome County Purchasing Alliance – $345,232 CWSSI Award
The Alliance, which was coordinated by Broome County ($228,228) and includes the Towns of Windsor ($5,651), Conklin ($30,863), Vestal ($80,490), as well as neighboring counties and municipalities, allows for the negotiation of lower rates for Medicare prescription costs.

Senator Peter Oberacker said, “As a former town supervisor and county representative, I know local elected officials work extremely hard to provide vital services while also keeping costs at a minimum.  Broome County is exhibiting true resourcefulness – coming together and enacting a winning plan that will pay dividends for years to come.  This is an ideal usage of the state’s County-Wide Shared Service Initiative (CWSSI) program and I commend all involved.”

Senator Lea Webb said, “I am thrilled to see Broome County receive this significant support through the County-Wide Shared Services Initiative. This funding not only reflects our area’s collective commitment to efficient government operations but also directly translates into real savings for our taxpayers. Initiatives like the Pharmacy Prescription Program and the Broome County Purchasing Alliance demonstrate the power of collaboration and innovation in public service. We are setting a strong example for how counties and municipalities can work together to enhance services and reduce costs, ensuring a more sustainable future for all residents of Broome County.”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “I'm glad that Broome County and their partnering schools and municipalities are taking advantage of the CWSSI program. Residents want their government to be as efficient as possible, which ultimately saves taxpayer dollars. I’d like to thank everyone who collaborated on this important initiative that will help lower prescriptions costs. We need to continue supporting programs like this that foster cost-saving and government efficiency.”

Assemblymember Joe Angelino said “I am happy to see Broome County receive this important funding, and excited to see the money being put to good use to benefit the people of Broome County.”

Assemblymember Jeff Gallahan said, “As the representative for New York’s 131stAssembly District, it is always great to see funding go towards programs to streamline collaboration between neighboring communities. I am proud to represent a portion of Broome County and fully support the county’s participation in the County-Wide Shared Services Initiative. The Pharmacy Prescription Program and Broome County Purchasing Alliance are both excellent services that will save both public employees and taxpayers a substantial amount of money. Good governance starts at the local level and is essential to the success of communities throughout our great state!”

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “This funding from the NY Department of State highlights our efforts to save taxpayer money. Our 2021 plan has shown that by working together, we can deliver better services and reduce costs for our community. Thank you to Governor Hochul for working with Broome County.”

About The County-Wide Shared Service Initiative Program
The County-Wide Shared Service Initiative (CWSSI) program generates property tax savings by facilitating collaboration between local governments across the state. New York State has matched over $40 million in one-year savings to local governments and taxpayers from over 100 shared services projects over the last five years. CWSSI expands on New York State’s ongoing commitment to reduce property taxes and modernize local government services by fostering new shared services and enhancing the existing collaborations already in place.

Guidance documents regarding the CWSSI and state match application process, as well as past CWSSI plans, are available here. 

The County-Wide Services Initiative is administered by the Division of Local Government Services at the Department of State. The Division provides technical assistance, competitive grants and non-competitive grants to local governments. For more information on CWSSI or any programs administered by the Division, please contact [email protected] or call 518-473-3355.