SCHENECTADY COUNTY $8.6M adds to extra funds 2008 ends with $33.7M sitting in surplus account BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Schenectady County ended the 2008 fiscal year with a surplus, helped by an $8.6 million windfall, officials said. The surplus is welcome news, as it gives the county a cushion this year against expected declines in sales tax, mortgage tax and interest income, said county Legislator Philip Fields, D-Schenectady, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. “It will help us,” he said. The $8.6 million went into the county’s surplus account, bringing the total to $33.7 million. This is an increase of $3.6 million from 2007’s total. The county uses the surplus account to lower or stabilize the tax levy, which totaled $68 million in 2008, up from $64 million in 2007. The county is currently putting together its 2010 budget, which must be adopted by Nov. 1. County Manager Kathleen Rooney said she has asked department heads to submit two budgets, one containing a 10 percent reduction and one with no net increase in expenditures. Beyond this, she declined to speculate on the budget’s fi nal composition. The county’s 2009 budget is $279 million. Finance Commissioner George Davidson said the surplus came from three sources: $1.9 million is from Boston & Maine railroad, which owed back taxes to the county for at least six years. $5 million is from the federal government to reimburse the county for Medicaid costs associated with the Glendale Home. The county used $1.8 million of the total toward its annual subsidy to the nursing home and will dole out the rest over the next few years. $310,000 is from two grants, which reimbursed the county for the purchase of recycling and composting equipment. Davidson called the revenue a windfall. By receiving it, the county did not have to use any of its surplus account for 2008; it had planned to use $1.7 million, he said. Rooney and Davidson said the county is doing well financially, the result of efforts to lower the cost of government. The county has reduced its work force by around 200 positions by consolidating departments and services and not filling positions, Rooney said. Republicans, however, who hold four of the 15 seats on the Legislature, say the county has not gone far enough to reduce expenses and has filled positions with political appointees.
Finance Commissioner George Davidson said the surplus came from three sources: $1.9 million is from Boston & Maine railroad, which owed back taxes to the county for at least six years. $5 million is from the federal government to reimburse the county for Medicaid costs associated with the Glendale Home. The county used $1.8 million of the total toward its annual subsidy to the nursing home and will dole out the rest over the next few years. $310,000 is from two grants, which reimbursed the county for the purchase of recycling and composting equipment. Davidson called the revenue a windfall. By receiving it, the county did not have to use any of its surplus account for 2008; it had planned to use $1.7 million, he said. Rooney and Davidson said the county is doing well financially, the result of efforts to lower the cost of government.
This surplus did not come about due to a financially healthy county. This surplus came from us, the taxpayers. Just from a different account.
First, $1.9M was money owed from back taxes...A ONE TIME DEAL! Second, $5M for medicaid reimbursement...OUR TAX DOLLARS! Third, $310K grant for equipment reimbursement,,,OUR TAX DOLLARS!
So how well, financially, is this county really doing? It's not!
Quoted Text
Republicans, however, who hold four of the 15 seats on the Legislature, say the county has not gone far enough to reduce expenses and has filled positions with political appointees.
And could Lamendola have at least given the opposition more than ONE line? Yup...that is fair and balanced, huh? Lamendola didn't even quote where he got this 'one sentence' information from. Although one can only guess. Clearly not from a rep. Hey, does Lamendola or any other reporter know that there are more than just dems that live in this county?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
What happens when the one-shots end? A 10% tax increase just to come even last year, this being an election year count on a cat, next year WATCH OUT!!!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
What happens when the one-shots end? A 10% tax increase just to come even last year, this being an election year count on a cat, next year WATCH OUT!!!
Exactly! That is a no brainer! Unfortunately, there are so many on public assistance that they will continue to welcome a tax increase!
This was clearly a smoke a mirror article at best. But nothing will change. We have Judy Dago and Holly Follow-along. So things are not about to change. Sad.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Have no fear- Mike Viscusi will save the day for the Republicans. Forget about endorsing an educated, well-qualified candidate like Brad Littlefield or any of the others .... Endorse Ang's uncle Mike. Schenectady county is on the mend once their endorsed candidates are elected!
Bring on the cat-year of the cat? lol! Good one Papa but isn't that the main requirement? Whose related to who and who's gomare is running? Forget about new qualified candidates bring out the old recycles.
They took too much from the County taxpayers last year, with the idiotic 10% increase in County property taxes. New term-County tax rebate. We don't need $33 million in a slush funds to be wasted on lob hires (Like Lumpy Kosiur) and nitwit Metrograft schemes.
Have no fear- Mike Viscusi will save the day for the Republicans. Forget about endorsing an educated, well-qualified candidate like Brad Littlefield or any of the others .... Endorse Ang's uncle Mike. Schenectady county is on the mend once their endorsed candidates are elected!
Ang's uncle or not, (not that it matters), will not win. Remember, the reps, just like the dems and cons....you have to go along to get along and to get endorsed.
And if the reps don't want Littlefield or others, why aren't the cons and/or dems seeking them?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Logged
Bring on the cat-year of the cat? lol! Good one Papa but isn't that the main requirement? Whose related to who and who's gomare is running? Forget about new qualified candidates bring out the old recycles. 
