NEWS FROM THE OFFICE OF

ULSTER COUNTY COMPTROLLER

ELLIOTT AUERBACH
ELLIOTT AUERBACH
COUNTY COMPTROLLER
244 FAIR STREET
KINGSTON, NEW YORK 12401

PHONE: 845: 340-3529

eaue@co.ulster,ny.us
www.co.ulster.ny.us/resources/comptroller

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMPTROLLERS QUARTERLY REPORT FOCUSES ON EXPENSE TRENDS

SALARIES DOWN, BENEFITS UP, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE QUADRUPLES
KINGSTON, NY (November 20, 2014) Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach released his
2014 Third Quarter Report today with a focus on financial indicators related to Ulster County
expenditure trends. The report follows a Second Quarter Report which analyzed County
revenues. As part of our duty to report on the financial condition of the County, we review both
County practice and history as they compare to nationally recognized economic indicators of
fiscal health, says Auerbach. During 2014 we've begun regularly reporting the trends those
indicators reflect to Ulster County taxpayers.
The Report typically analyzes five year trends in expenditures such as per capita spending and
spending by function, among others.
The most notable observations are in the areas of employee benefits, where an increase of 127%
in retirement plan expenses over five years is identified despite a decline in gross salaries over
that period. This item reflects the rising costs of public sector retirement plans for local
governments, an issue which will require aggressive and creative attention on a statewide level,
Auerbach suggested.
Another dramatic spike in benefits expenditures is seen in the area of unemployment insurance,
where the massive 432% hike over five years is largely accounted for in 2013 alone. The report
points out that this anomaly is related to the layoff of County employees when the Golden Hill
Health Care facility was sold. The Report points out that the alarming number in this category was
counterbalanced by various positive economic and fiscal benefits related to the sale.
The Report can be found at www.youreyesonlulster.com.

###
The mission of the Ulster County Comptrollers Office is to serve as an independent agency of the people and to protect the public interest by
monitoring County government and to assess and report on the degree to which its operation is economical, efficient and its financial condition
sound.