Frank Castiglia Jr.: Do As I Say, Not As I Do

by Contributor | January 18, 2021 12:07 pm

To the Editor,

The month of May the Oswego County Legislature instituted a “Hiring and Spending Freeze,” again in December at its 2021 Budget meeting they again extended the “Hiring and Purchasing Freeze.”

Both times citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason. The month of January is here and must be the COVID-19 crisis is over.

At the January Legislative meeting the Legislature brought forward a Resolution to enter into a service contract with the Bonadio Group. A service contract for $100,000 dollars maximum. This money is going to come out of the “Fund Balance” (Rainy Day Account)

Now having been in the legislature for 6 years, I know $100,000 is a starting point not an end point. Now when you put in a “hiring and purchasing freeze” only “Mandated hiring and spending” should occur. A “Service contract” is not a mandated item. Only the 2 democrats voted against this service contract. Citing a State Agency could be used to perform the functions the service contract was being asked to perform.

We pay state taxes for such services. There is no reason to pay an outside private group to perform what the state would do if asked. The only reason you would not use the State to do this is to hide a problem and possible state reprimand and public embarrassment. All 21 GOP Legislators voted in favor of this Resolution.

It’s time to start thinking about term limits and reduction of the legislature same old same old just hurts the taxpayer.

-Frank Castiglia Jr.

*Correction from the writer: OFA did not sponsor the event, but instead assisted Oswego County Health.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/frank-castiglia-jr-do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do/

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