One of Dryden's County Legislators, Mike Lane, has a guest editorial in the Ithaca Journal that examines the many ways that county governments in New York can operate, and some of the history of Tompkins County government, especially as it relates to the proposal for a county executive.
Lane notes that Tompkins County runs under a charter established in the 1960s, and that reviews in 1995 and 2000 haven't suggested changes to a county executive form of government, and notes that one of the advantages of having a legislature and administrator is that "The administrator is hired for his or her credentials."
His conclusion strikes me as the most reasonable thing I've read in these discussions, that a county executive form of government isn't a magic bullet for current problems:
From the outset, however, there must be no misunderstanding. Such a change would only a create a different kind of county government. It will probably not solve our current budget woes, and may in the end prove to be even more expensive.
Lane was just re-elected vice-chairman of the legislature.
Posted by simon at January 9, 2004 8:45 AM in politics (local)