By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-940538.mp3
Buffalo, NY – The battle between Erie County Executive Chris Collins and County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz might not be over. There could be an administrative road block to the comptroller's efforts to restore his department.
The fallout from the legislature's failed veto over rides has begun. 15 layoff notices were delivered to the comptroller's office Wednesday. The 36 percent staff cut includes many of the auditors and accountants who provide financial oversight and tax revenue collection for the county.
But the county executive has said that the annual audit of the county done by an outside firm is sufficient. Poloncarz said that one-time-a-year cursory review is totally inadequate.
"They're not there to so the management audits. They do not do the performance audits. They do not do efficiency audits," said Poloncarz. "That's what my office does. It looks to see if things are, not only being done right in the first place, but how can we do it better. How can we do it more efficiently."
The Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority seems to agree. The control board recently encouraged Poloncarz to apply for one of their efficiency grants to help rehire the auditors. Polonarz submitted an application to the board late Wednesday.
That was confirmed by Control Board Executive Director Ken Vetter who tells WBFO that the application is under review and it is likely the grant could be approved at their meeting on December 23.
But there is a catch. Vetter said the legislature would also have to approve the grant - and the county executive would have to agree to accept it.
"We're making the assumption the county would follow whatever processes it would needs to to receive and disperse the money for the function," said Vetter. "If the county doesn't, legally we can't force anybody to take money. We can only offer it."
Without the grant, the cuts take effect January 1. Poloncarz said he is also weighing whether or not to file a lawsuit to try to have the positions restored.