FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 8, 2019
Contact: John Lyon 845-638-5645

2020 Proposed Budget Gets Clean Bill of Health from Comptroller

New City, NY, - The New York State Comptroller's Office has given its approval to County Executive Ed Day's 2020 Proposed Budget.

The New York State Comptroller's Office reviewed the proposed $729.9 million 2020 spending plan, which stays under the New York State property tax cap while investing in critical infrastructure improvements, funding new State mandates and providing for the future of Rockland County's animals.

"Based on the results of our review, we found that the significant revenue and expenditure projections in the proposed budget are reasonable," wrote Deputy State Comptroller Elliot Auerbach in a letter to the County Executive and members of the Rockland County Legislature.

"I thank the Comptroller's Office for their review of the 2020 Proposed Budget," said County Executive Day. "Despite facing an additional $4.5 million in new state mandates and program costs, which is the equivalent of a 3.5% County property tax increase all on its own, this Budget holds the line on expenses and conservatively estimates future sales tax revenue. There are no smoke and mirrors here."

The County Executive thanked Rockland Finance Commissioner Stephen DeGroat and Budget Director Steve Grogan for their efforts on this budget.

An audit of the County's finances in August, prepared by independent auditors Marks Paneth who were hired by the Rockland County Legislature, showed that Rockland's finances continue to improve. The audit showed that for the second year in a row Rockland County had grown its Unassigned Fund Balance in the General Fund; from reporting, just over $6.2 million in 2017 to just over $32 million in 2018.

"Despite these successes, we are not at the end of the road. To establish a healthy budget, we must continue to build our surplus and rebuild our undesignated fund balance. The New York State Comptroller recommends that we have a fund balance of approximately $56 million to be a truly fiscally healthy county. I urge the Rockland County Legislature to approve this proposed Budget," said County Executive Day.

The Comptroller's Office reviewed the 2020 Proposed Budget, salary schedules and debt payment schedules. They also examined significant estimated revenues and expenditures for reasonableness with emphasis on significant and/or unrealistic increases or decreases, which were deemed reasonable.

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