Monday, September 22, 2008

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.


11 comments:

Brittany Turner said...

Quigley's criticism of the charter is one of the primary reasons I'm supporting him.

Joe Bubel said...

Come on Jeremy, this is OLD news! We already went over this with Len Bernardo, Independence Candidate for Ulster County Executive. The short answer to this weak and pathetic argument being made by Eliot, I would rather have someone elected to an office they opposed, than someone who has been waiting for it, hoping for it, GROOMING for it!

Richard T. Cahill Jr. said...

Quigley opposed the charter because there was no financial impact evaluation performed.

There STILL is no set salary for the new positions or a decision on the amount of staffing.

Quigley did not oppose the concept of Comptroller. Get your facts straight.

Jeremy Blaber said...

Yeah Rich, he did opose the concept of the county charter. He said that it would just increase taxes. This guy voted and campaigned against accountability in county government.

Stick to picking on the mayor, Rich, outside of that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Cahill, read the minutes and appendices of the Charter Transition Committee (available on the county website). They DO have recommendations on staffing and salary.

The legislature will ultimately decide the staffing level and salaries of those staff.

Anonymous said...

So what is going on with the Town of Ulster Democratic Party, I understand people are suing each other and Nicky is the whole problem.

Anonymous said...

What was with Quigley's pompous claim that he's donating his salary to charity at the Chamber of Commerce this morning?

That was the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard in my entire life.

He would be better off spending that money on his campaign, and then taking the salary and paying himself back.

Jerk

Anonymous said...

Hmm, let's take a hard look at how Wall Street lost 700 billion dollars and wants a bail out and why Quigley is looking for a safe job in government. Only a fool would want to put our county in the position of looking for handouts to bail us out. The Republicans still want no oversight over their thievery. What oversight does Quigley offer? A faith-based economic safety net?

Anonymous said...

Quigley is way too impressed with himself. He is not a nice person.
Voters will recognize this.

Anonymous said...

I oppossed the Charter. It allowed the same political backroom deals and the same faces and additional staff.

Thankfully we have some non - political candidates in Mr. Bernardo and Quigley.

Let's give real change a chance.

Anonymous said...

I guess its wrong to be for abortion and then later on be against abortion. So its wrong to go against the charter then go for the charter. How about not being for the death sentence then being for the death sentence?