A BUDGET HISTORY LESSON

Auerbach provides different look at Ulster budget
(Copyright © 2010 Mid-Hudson News Network, a division of Statewide News Network, Inc)

KINGSTON – Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach has released a summary of the 2011 tentative budget that provides an overview of the budget data in a historical context.

“Concerned citizens and good government organizations want to understand budget data in a way that makes sense for them so they can question and comment on the budget,” said Auerbach. “This budget summary provides an additional framework for understanding the data in the 2011 tentative budget.”

The comptroller’s presentation offers the tentative budget data in the context of actual expenditures and revenues for the years 2006 – 2009.

It also looks at:

* The budget totals for the entire budget and for each fund within the budget including a brief description of each fund.
* The “Budget to Budget Variance” column compares this year’s budget to its previous year counterpart. This is in place to show how a budget can shrink or grow from year to year.
* The “Budget to Actual Variance” column is included to illustrate actual spending and income compared to budgeted spending and income.

“Governmental budgets are something that people generally love to hate,” said Auerbach, “but each of us has a vested interest in how the county spends our money. I encourage county taxpayers to participate in the budget hearings.”

A list of the public hearings to be held by the legislature is included on the report.

A full copy of the report can be found at www.ulstercountyny.gov/resources/comptroller.