Pick Your Budget
My Dear Nieces and Nephews, it certainly gets more and more interesting. Recall, if you will, the report on the budget from County Legislator Mike Anagnostakis, his five points and general disapproval of the county executive's budget. http://orangecountyoutlook.blogspot.com/2014/10/breaking-news-more-budget-talk.html
Now, look at the report in the midhudsonneuhaus.com and the press release from the CE to see the glowing reviews the LEGISLATOR'S "independent" auditor gave the budget.
http://www.orangecountygov.com/filestorage/124/898/2483/11877/10-28-14_Legislature_s_Independent_Auditor_Assesses_Neuhaus_Budget.pdf
STEVE SAID: “The legislature’s own auditor, who initially warned that the county was spending too much and putting too little into its rainy-day savings, has today positively assessed nearly every solution offered in my 2015 balanced budget plan,”
Oh! what a tangled web we weave... (if you can't finish that sentence, brush up on your Shakespeare!)
Let's look at this, shall we?
"The legislature’s own auditor..."
The legislature, lead by your pal, L. Stephen Brescia? The legislature that is dominated by your other pals, cronies and sycophants, THAT LEGISLATURE? Independent? Ha!
Gee, that one independent Republican Legislator, Mike Anagnostakis, that financial guru, who has dealt with numbers his entire working life, he must be wrong. (there's the sarcasm again folks!)
"..that the county was spending too much and putting too little into its rainy-day savings,"
No one will argue that we need to spend less and save more, but how does that lead to this:
"...has today positively assessed nearly every solution offered in my 2015 balanced budget plan,”
including pretending to fix the budget on the backs of the nursing home residents?
"...nearly every solution?" OK, which ones didn't they approve?
STEVE SAID: "I encourage the legislature to approve the 2015 Executive Recommended Budget without delay,”
As if you really had to say that.
posted by Auntie Alibi @ 6:59 PM
16 Comments
16 Comments:
let's see what'd happen if a forensic audit was done by comptroller dinapoli and a.g. schneiderman. for starters the past ten years - one that shows every dollar of income and expenditures of the county budget in addition to what the ldc is spending for their operations.
I was there -- the accountants said no such thing.
They said that this budget spends $33 million from reserves, and also $15 million from a sale of Valley View, which by the way, has not happened!
they went thru some items, and said some the Exec had estimated Correct, some he had estimated OVER, and some he had estimated UNDER -- and in total it was not balanced, thus the need for the $33 million and the $15 million
Thats what I heard sitting there for 2 hours.
NewHouse budget is a shell game with one goal only to sell Valley View. I think everybody sees that at this point in time.
Lets hope that people do see that and contact their legislators!!!
The legislators already know the facts, and most have kissed the ring. The public needs to know the truth and too bad did not see it last Nov. Now we are all forced to deal with this pretender and his cronies. His budget is a joke... on us.
ADDENDUM:
Today, STEVE SAID: “We really have an opportunity to correct years of dismal financial management and really turn the corner on this so I feel confident. I think the legislature is ready for a change. I know the public of Orange County is ready for a change and I know the business community, which has had my back since I took office, is ready for a change.”
Change, what change? You are more of the same, maybe worse.
The business community has your back? What does that mean? YOU are the elected Chief Executive officer of this county, why would the business community “have your back”?
The only change we agree with in the above statement is that the PUBLIC is ready for a change, change of County Executive.
Nieces and Nephews, what do YOU think?
AMEN to that again!!!!
Auntie you are soooo right! Impeach Neuhaus!!!
Then who runs things the never present Wayne Booth?
The Deputy County executive only takes over in absence of the County Exec, Not if he is no longer in office. The charter addresses how a county exec is chosen in case of a vacancy in the office, yes I said chosen, appointed by the chair until the next time an election is being held. Similar to how the leg seats are filled as in the case of Lahey's and Depew's seats. If only we could impeach, but unfortunately he can not be impeached or removed unless of course he is arrested, resigns or well leaves this earth.... We need a change already, but we have three more years of fighting this regime so we all better turn up!
Part 1
This is posted by Mary Ann McDonough and represents what I stated at the 10/23/14 Public Hearing on the County Executive's 2015 budget, which ONLY funds Valley View for 4 months and expects the sale of Valley View to provide $15 million in revenue.
This 2015 Orange County Budget has been structured with ONE goal in mind. Sell Valley View Nursing Home. All the numbers have been put together so there is NO way to balance the budget without the sale. According to the County Executive, the only other choices are so repugnant, huge property tax increases or massive layoffs.
Does this sound familiar to you legislators and/or general public? I wish I could find the Ed Diana shiny mailer wherein he threatened a 17% property tax increase, massive layoffs and a continued increase in Valley View operating costs to the tune of $20 to $30 million per year. None of these happened!
Diana & Neuhaus both had/have an AGENDA to sell Valley View and they have and will say and do anything to accomplish that task. Mr. Neuhaus has been setting up the scenario that the "Sky is Falling" budget since he stepped into office on 1/1/14.
In the past four years the original excuse to sell Valley View(exorbitant costs to run the facility) has now morphed into the sale price that could be added to the county coffers. Why has the excuse changed? Because the Valley View Investigative Report as well as a change in the Valley View administration, from the Pascocello/OAS group to LaDue have reduced those exorbitant costs. Do not forget Pascocello/OAS, who had the "right of first refusal" contractually guaranteed, was forced out. The planned excuse of "costly operations" had been eliminated because Bill Pascocello and OAS were eliminated. The powers behind the decision to sell Valley View had to find a new excuse and find one they did! Valley View is now the "cash cow" that can bail out the rest of the county spending.
This week I attended a number of Orange County Budget Hearings, wherein Orange County departments come in front of legislative committees to explain their department purpose, their budget costs in 2014 and their projected costs in 2015. While I was not able to attend all those meetings, one factor emerged very clearly to me, from the meetings I did attend. Not every department was subject to the same set of rules and/or expectations, by the County Executive. I heard a number of department heads state they were NOT instructed by the County Executive to reduce their 2015 budget by 10%. Instead, one was told to "have it lower than last year." Another was told, " just have it come in under county taxation for 2014."
Part 2 of 2
So let me see if I now have this right. Orange County is in DIRE financial straights but only SOME departments are told to bring a budget that is 10% lower than 2014. In fact overall, there has been very little spending reduction in any of the county departments, except Valley View. NOT TO WORRY!!!! Valley View will " Save the Day." The rest of the county government is not subject to cost savings. It is not necessary.
Speaking of the lack of cost savings, let us look at the spending spree that took place in 2014. There have been management positions filled in the Health Department and in Social Services, that had been vacant for years. Mr. Neuhaus knew the "sky was falling" and yet chose to fill these vacant positions. LDC monies have been paid out in 2014, although no one in county government or the LDC has records of these payments. County offices have been remodeled, new furniture purchased; all while the "sky was falling."
Why could all this and more be done? Because the sale of Valley View would provide the revenue to cover all other costs for 2015. And most of all, these excessive costs in other county departments JUSTIFY the sale of Valley View. After all we cannot have property taxes rise or 400 plus layoffs. Valley View is the sacrificial lamb.
But WHY??? Please Mr. Neuhaus, even Mr. Diana, tell us who will benefit from the sale of Valley View? It will not be the Valley View residents. It will not be the Valley View families. It will not be the Valley View employees. It won't even be the Orange County residents. Who is going to benefit from this 12 year scam between some members of government and a private corporation, that has caused nothing but harm and heartache to our most needy and vulnerable county residents? This harm does not even take into consideration the county tax dollars that have been wasted finalizing the Valley View sale.
How DARE any of you legislators continue to participate in this scam? It is SHAMEFUL!!!
Thank you Mary Ann for your comments, Auntie and the team appreciate your insight.
Did you also see that all county departments were reportedly being cut, that is except for the sheriff and the district attorney, who were remaining whole under the guise of public safety? If they receive any cuts it will be superficial and it will likely be sacrificial part-time positions that were political appointees anyway. The sheriff is empire building, something that was more difficult for him under Eddie. Stevie on the other hand has a huge debt to repay to the sheriff and the district attorney for getting him elected. The sheriff did a lot of campaigning with/for Team Orange but did we pay for his gas too? Now it is payback time and Stevie has a lot of paying to do. This is a group that has a lot of history together and the good ole boy club is getting bigger and bigger. What will these political paybacks cost us today and years to come? Will it be less services for some but with the politically influential ones see more?
Power to the puppet people...Team Orange !!!
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