AUERBACH: Quigley's History Conflicts with Campaign Rhetoric

In 2006 and on the heels of the over budget construction of the Ulster County Law Enforcement Center, Ulster County voters fought back against government waste and mismanagement by approving the Ulster County Charter, a new form of government that included the creation of a county comptroller, a fiscal watchdog for taxpayers.

Where was James Quigley III when this was going on? He was vehemently opposing the charter and the creation of a county comptroller’s office as the single largest donor to the Coalition Against the Charter.

Now, a candidate for county comptroller, a position created by the charter he opposed, Quigley recently warned in a media statement that Ulster County taxpayers could be hurt again by fiascos like the Ulster County Jail construction without a comptroller.

Ironic.

Quigley’s Democratic and Working Families opponent Elliott Auerbach said, “After watching the fiscal mismanagement of the jail construction, I along with the majority of voters in Ulster County, knew we needed a publicly elected watchdog of county taxpayer’s money. While witnessing the lack of oversight and fiscal mismanagement of the construction of the jail, Mr. Quigley put big bucks into a campaign to try to stop the creation of the very office he seeks, an office we need to ensure fiscal responsibility.”

Auerbach added, “His reference to the jail debacle last week is simply campaign rhetoric.”

Although lacking experience from holding any public office, Quigley is no stranger to politics. Last month, the Times Herald-Record reported that Quigley made political contributions of more than $74,000 since 1999, including $30,000 in donations last year.

Auerbach, an Ulster County native and life-long Democrat, is currently the Ellenville Village Manager. He will bring the strength of his private and public sector background to the office of the county’s newly established position of chief accounting and reporting officer. Auerbach’s public sector background includes three terms as Mayor of Ellenville and also a two year stint as Director of the Rural Economic Area Partnership. In the private sector, Auerbach managed a family-owned business for 20 years and has enjoyed a series of successes in corporate America and private industry.

For a current list of endorsements and other information about the campaign, please visit the Elliott Auerbach for Ulster County Comptroller website at www.auerbachforcomptroller.com.