The Comptroller of the State of New York, Thomas Di Napoli, initiated state reviews of the fiscal health of local governments this year, referred to by his office as “fiscal stress tests.” In September our city manager received notification from Executive Deputy Comptroller Andrew San Filippo that our City passed its fiscal stress test with a score of 30.42%. Unlike school grades we all received back in the day, the stress tests are graded in reverse: the lower the number the better. Any score below forty is a passing grade, and is categorized as “no designation,” which means the state has not designated us as being in any level of fiscal stress. Good news for all us taxpayers. Good news for all who love our city and want to see it prosper.
But bad news for those who want to replace our current elected officials with themselves. Replace those who brought us through our worst economic times since the Great Depression while keeping taxes stable by reducing the costs of government and improving the credit rating of our bonds? Really?
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Peekskill’s Republicans clearly have a hard row to hoe. Worse, they are making it harder for themselves by resorting to deceptive charts: remember those scary red arrows that supposedly proved our city’s “bankruptcy? Not to mention empty slogans and buzzwords devoid of both facts and ideas, refusing to give direct answers to questions like public debate, gay marriage, and their much announced but never published economic plan.
Well, if the Republican barrage has frightened you, here are two ways to get the facts on our city’s fiscal health.
Find out what's happening in Peekskill-Cortlandtwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
· Detailed information about Peekskill’s fiscal stress test: http://wwe1.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/fiscalmonitoring/fsi1a.cfm
· NYS Comptroller’s Office, Division of Local Government and School Accountability 518-474-4037
Don’t let the campaign shenanigans of the immoderately ambitious confuse you. And please don’t take my word at face value. Especially when it comes to money, check things out for yourself. If you do, I’m confident you’ll see those scary red arrows for what they are: fog.
