I would like to thank Chemung County Treasurer, Jennifer Furman, and her team for again doing a tremendous job closing Chemung County’s 2021 Fiscal Year.
This year we again realized substantial savings through employee vacancies (salary and fringe), caused by the pandemic, as well as a substantial unanticipated rise in sales tax revenue which enabled us to show a favorable multimillion-dollar end-of-year surplus.
Since taking office on January 1, 2019, we have increased the County’s fund balance from $24.5 million to $44.9 million over the last three years. There are multiple factors which have attributed to the fund balance increase, some of which were previously noted, and it is always a team effort.
I would like to thank Jennifer Furman and her staff, as well as Deputy County Executive, David Sheen; Director of Budget & Research, Steven Hoover; our department heads; employees; County-wide elected officials, (District Attorney, Sheriff, County Clerk), for all of their efforts in realizing these year-to-year favorable financial results. Just imagine if the County Legislature would get on board, what we could achieve.
As this is an election year for the entire Legislature, many Legislators are quick to attempt to take credit for cost saving initiatives, day-to-day operations, as well as other County related functions that they have had little or nothing to do with. Several of these Legislators have resurrected social media platforms simply to politicize several of the goals that they played no role in achieving. It’s important to remember that the majority of the Legislators were missing in action for almost two years due to the pandemic and now appear front and center asking for your vote. In a little over two months, the residents of Chemung County will have the opportunity to elect new Legislative representation. Please do your homework prior to voting.
In the weeks leading up to the primary election, as well as the general election, I’ll be endorsing Legislative candidates who I feel will work hard to move Chemung County forward and in a cooperative manner with the Executive branch.
