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Legislature's Independent Auditor Assesses Neuhaus Budget
[October 30, 2014]

Legislature's Independent Auditor Assesses Neuhaus Budget


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) GOSHEN, N.Y., Oct. 28 -- Orange County Executive issued the following news release: Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus announced today that the county legislature's independent auditor has submitted its "Analysis and Review of the 2015 Executive Recommended Budget." Accounting firm O'Connor Davies, LLP found no major deficiencies in the budget proposed by Neuhaus on October 1 and has only recommended an additional $2 million in changes, or less than one-third of one percent of the total spending plan.



The $703 million balanced budget proposes $60 million in spending cuts from the previous year, streamlines the county workforce by 20 percent, stays within the state's tax-cap law, and reduces the reliance on the county's fund balance, or savings account. According to the Division of Budget, the fund-balance decline, along with lower-than-expected sales tax collections, combined to create an estimated $63 million budget gap next year. On August 26 Moody's Investors Service downgraded Orange County's bond rating to Aa3, the second time in less than six months that the bond-rating agency took this action.

"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. This is great news for Orange County's taxpayers, who deserve a government that lives within its means and budgets responsibly with their money. I encourage the legislature to approve the 2015 Executive Recommended Budget without delay," said Neuhaus.


Under the county charter, the legislature has until November 15 to make changes and submit its recommendations back to the county executive's office for review. If the legislature fails to approve it or change it, it becomes law automatically, effective January 1.

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