To the Editor:

I would be interested to know if every board member of every township voting on the NYPA “deal” read the following report DiNapoli released back in 2013 on NYPA’s operational failures.

The following is an excerpt from the news release about the report (http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/aug13/080813a.htm):

“New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today issued a report on the New York State Power Authority (NYPA). The report examines NYPA’s finances, money transferred to support the state budget and expenses related to employee benefits and travel, including a private plane.

“The state regularly relies on NYPA for budget relief, which could pose future challenges for NYPA’s ability to deliver low-cost power,” DiNapoli said. “New Yorkers pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country and need the rate relief that NYPA could provide if it appropriately focused its resources. This report also reviews executive and travel expenses incurred by NYPA.

“This year’s state budget authorized a payment of $90 million from NYPA to the state, continuing a long history of diverting NYPA funds to cover state expenses. Such payments – more than $1.2 billion in the past decade – may have been a factor in NYPA’s recent request to increase transmission charges paid by customers statewide.

“...public authority debt has jumped to nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars, as New York relies on authorities (NYPA revenues) to close state budget gaps or to borrow on its behalf, without voter approval.”

Basically, NYPA is a cash cow for Albany’s out of control spending -- which voters don’t have a say about. Cuomo has a property tax proposal on the table that potentially could cut the tax burden for some property owners. Which begs the question where will the money come from to fill the gap? Perhaps it will come in higher electrical rates. Where’s the cost savings for people then? Better question is where is a budget that is addresses several factors driving spending?

So when considering the “deal” being proposed keep in mind that Albany does not give a flying fig about the North Country, its residents, the lack of industry or jobs here; nor do they care that the state is experiencing a negative growth rate: more people leave the state then come to live and work here. And Albany most definitely had a hand in "crafting" this "deal" that leaves us out in the cold....business as usual.

The power starts here, perhaps it's time is stops here. The handful of jobs that NYPA provides a select few does not outweigh the potential for industry and job growth given a truly fair deal for the North Country.

For a copy of the report, visit: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/pubauth/NYPA_btn_2013.pdf

Tracey Haggett-Sloan

Norwood