Auerbach claims lawmakers want to “undermine” county charter
Tuesday
August 17, 2010
(Copyright © 2010 Mid-Hudson News Network, a division of Statewide News Network, Inc)
KINGSTON – The Ulster County Legislature wants to shift funds from the county comptroller’s budget for accounting and auditing over to its own budget to cover the annual county audit.
County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach calls it a “power grab.” The proposed transfer of funds is contrary to the intent of the new county charter, which designated the comptroller as the chief auditing officer, he said, Monday.
“We are taking a hard line on this. We are really looking to the legislature to understand the reasoning behind it and hopeful they will remain on our side to allow the financial audit to be an independent one,” he said.
Under the old charter, before there was a comptroller or county executive, the legislature took the lead in the annual county audit.
“The legislature sets policy and appropriates funds, the executive manages and administers funds,” said Auerbach. “The comptroller’s role is independent oversight which is why no management, administrative or appropriating functions were delegated to the office.”
2 comments:
And this is surprising? The Republican agenda is to undermine the Constitution of the US and this little county fight is no different. This revolt against Democracy is illustrative of the right wing's desperation and serves to paint, indelibly, the legislature as anti-government. Keep screaming, the Tea-party nuts are pretty loud.
I concur, it is the aim of the GOP at all levels to stop our democracy in its tracks. They want us to believe that we must worship big business and military power or we will perish. it is time for diverse voices to be heard. Everyone who wanted change must now yell louder than the tea-partyists. We still want change not a return to the past administrations policies. It is time for Democratic change. The collective amnesia of the Ulster county voters scares me. Who orchestrated the New Jail Debacle?
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