Sharing the Burdens

A new state effort to reduce taxes by sharing services is not news for Sparta, By Millie Guerrero SPARTA - Last Friday’s speech by Gov. Jon Corzine urging municipalities to combine efforts as a way to save money was not news to Sparta officials. For more than two decades, the town has been doing exactly that. “We have far too many layers of government delivering too many similar services,” Corzine said. “Communities can achieve greater savings and potentially better services - in everything from tax assessment, to trash collection, to school administration - through cooperative efforts.” Township Manager Henry Underhill said Sparta has been sharing certain services as far back as 25 years, and continually searches for other ways to combine efforts with other towns as a way to reduce the local tax burden. “We don’t need any push to save money,” he said. “We’re doing it before the state said to push it. We’re going to look at it whether they are telling us or not.” Among the services already shared with other municipalities are insurance and purchasing, which are done in cooperation with Morris County. Auto, liability and property insurance policies are financed through the Morris County Insurance Fund, a group of municipalities that are pooling their monetary risks and acting as their own insurance carrier. The fund pays its own underwriters and personnel and pays its own claims. This joint arrangement eliminates the profit margin that drives up costs under private carriers, Underhill said. “We went to bid three years ago on the regular market,” said Underhill. Through the county insurance fund, Sparta is saving “several hundred thousands” of dollars, he said. The township is also looking into sharing its health care and fleet services through an agreement with the county. Those services are currently provided by surrounding municipalities. According to Underhill, Sparta is studying the cost effectiveness of combining health services with the county. The township manager believes this agreement would offer expanded resources. In addition, Sparta is studying the economic efficiency of having the county maintain municipal vehicles. The Government Management Advisors, which is doing the study, has yet to determine a completion date. Among the services Sparta shares with other municipalities is emergency dispatching, which the police department provides for Stillwater, Lafayette, Franklin, and Ogdensburg. In addition, for the past 10 years Sparta has been sharing animal control services as well as electrical inspection with nearby municipalities. The board of education has also participated in the program for three years and saves money by sharing their information technology services, including maintenance for computer servers and e-mail. Underhill could not estimate how much money is saved through the different agreements currently in place, but he said they certainly benefit local taxpayers. “As long as we are sharing, we are saving money,” he said.