The Rockland Business Association is hiring its own consultants to study what led to the county’s fiscal crisis, according to CEO Al Samuels. The nonprofit advocacy group will spend about $20,000 on the review by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress of Newburgh, a public policy think tank, he said.
“This is going to be a true and honest study that isn’t tainted by anyone saying ‘Give us a road map for where we are,’ ” Samuels told The Journal News. “The business community has a real vested interest in how this is handled, in understanding what got us here and in getting out of it so we never get in it again.”
The county faces a shortfall of about $15.3 million for the year and an overall budget deficit of roughly $95 million.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office released a detailed analysis of the issues that contributed to Rockland’s problems and recommended steps the county could take to improve its situation. State auditors looked at finances from 2006 through 2010.
County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef had no comment on the study, according to spokesman Ron Levine.
Rockland County legislators said they have put new measures in place to prevent future financial crises, such as a new law that requires multi-year budgeting and mid-year budget reviews.
Read more about this issue today in The Journal News/Lohud.com.
