Disclose Financial Information before Election

by: Bill Liblick

Orange County has their preliminary budget available before election. Ulster County has their preliminary budget available before election. Doesn’t it seem odd that Sullivan County’s preliminary budget which has always been available before election has now been put on hold until we vote?

County Manager David Fanslau says the budget will indeed come in on time even though it is now later. A new time frame has been set by the legislature. Generally, according to state law, preliminary budgets should be available on October 1.

Fanslau also claims there will be no tax increase this year. So why not show us the figures? Are there enough concrete numbers available from the sales tax figures needed to determine this?

We are now using planned performance-based budgeting for Sullivan County. This measure calls for departments and their outside agencies to be held accountable for reaching performance benchmarks. They will need to achieve targeted initiatives.

People I talk to in financial circles say there are many flaws to performance-based budgeting. Budget justifications organized around performance are said to contain too much broad management strategy and too little on workload, output and other factors traditionally considered in budget allocations.

Additionally, all this mumbo jumbo does not negate from the fact that Sullivan County taxpayers will not know the truth about our finances until after November 6. The bottom line is we will not be seeing the cash flow or expenditures for 2007.

Could the real truth be that the incumbent Democratic controlled legislature does not want to tackle this subject? Perhaps they feel if there was disclosure right now it could potentially hurt their reelection bids? 

Finance Chairman Jonathan Rouis says the new budget process is “ensuring that we are spending taxpayer dollars as efficiently as possible, while holding the line on property taxes.”

How do we know what they are saying is true if they won’t release any information to us?

Those up for reelection should welcome discussing our finances with open arms, this way they can show voters how they balanced our budget. What better way to seek votes? But, don’t worry they probably won’t, because I am hearing that Sullivan County might be in a cash crunch.

The legislature has a fiduciary responsibility to give us proper information. We have a right to be told the truth about accounting practices, and why we hire outside accounting firms and consultants.

Has the revenue received from the sales tax increase met projections?

I am told by several insiders that bills are not being paid in a timely fashion, because few payments come in this time of year and the state holds back monies. 

The scenario I hear is that if Sullivan County is indeed in a cash crunch, we could meet expenses through our open ended bonds. Monies can be taken from bonds and deposited to pay bills. Is this happening?

Another alternative would be getting a pre-approved revenue anticipated loan. This can be used at any time without a resolution or possible knowledge of most of the legislature. 

At the very least, by not disclosing information before this year’s election gives the appearance that Fanslau and those in control of the Legislature are hiding something from us. We deserve to know the truth.

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