Auerbach has experience in both the public and private sector from managing a family business in the town where he was born and raised to his current position as the manager of Ellenville, overseeing a multi-Million dollar budget. Elliott has gained the experience to be a watch dog of a governmental agency without having been directly involved in the County. I think that is key, Elliott can go in and do the job unencumbered by favors and longstanding friendships.When I first heard that Elliott Auerbach was running for Comptroller I was against his candidacy, I was hoping my friend and mentor Bill Reynolds would throw his hat in the race and my second choice was Dave Donaldson, who I like and respect. After Reynolds opted out, I originally signed on to Donaldson because I had questions and concerns with Elliott's support for Vince Bradley in the last election. I knew right away I made a mistake and was supporting Dave for the wrong reasons. Don't get me wrong I have nothing but respect for Donaldson but there is no question that Elliott Auerbach is the most qualified candidate and the most dynamic candidate to represent our party in November and to do the job as our first County Comptroller.
For those reasons Elliott has my full support and I encourage others to join with me, and reach out to Elliott and join his campaign.
20 comments:
Donaldson is grasping for power. He is not the right person for the job. He has no business, accounting or financial control experience. No matter what he is going around telling the Democratic committees and anyone else who will listen, the Comptrollers office is all about finance. Donaldson is making a conscience effort to dumb the job down. That is a critical mistake if you ask me. The office is important for the day to day functioning of the County. The Comptroller has to understand how to balance books & understand accounting rules. Whoever gets the job will need to demand respect and instill confidence in their abilities from the people who will have to report to the office. I think Donaldson fails there too.
Not Elliott...he has a shady background with shady dealings. He is totally untrustworthy - he goes back on his word and he's unethical.
Jeremy, Your change of heart in Auerbach for Comptroller is evidence you have grown in stature and understand how important the positions of Co. Exec and Comptroller are to taxpayers through out UC. The team of Hein and Auerbach looking out the best interest in UC is a winning team.
Donaldson and Berardi +Zimit are history and would be a disaster.
to 6:23. You must have read the Charter because after hearing Donaldson at our committee, it is obvious he didn't.
ARTICLE IX
Comptroller
§ C-57. Powers and duties.
The Comptroller shall be the chief accounting and auditing officer of the County.
8:05 Just made the best case for Elliott, if he were a Republican.
Donaldson has promised 5 people they will be his deputy if they support him. He's as much responsible for all the years of mismanagement in Ulster County as the Republicans. I will be supporting Elliot on Monday, September, and November.
Donaldson has no business being the Chairman of the lagislature. He got there through political favors trading. Now he wants a real job that is way over his head. He has no skills other than politics, and deal making with Zimet and Rodrigues and others who have no skills or jobs for that matter. Donaldson should give it up.
I think that Dave Donaldson would be a great Comptroller. He's the Majority Leader of the Legislature, that's no small accomplishment. His commitment to Ulster County taxpayers is unquestionable. He is also a CPA. I don't think Auerbach is a CPA. I'm supporting Donaldson for Comptroller. He'll make sure that things are done in the interest of Ulster County taxpayers.
What a mess:
Dave Donaldson is the progressive in the race, likable and well known, but he really isnt qualified for the job.
Auerbach has some hands-on municipal management experience that would seem to indicate he is qualified for the job, but he is not a progressive... and some of the stories coming out of Ellenville raise concerns.
So I sat around trying to think of a suitable, qualified progressive candidate: My best idea was Kingston Democrat Lisa Cutten, who is a CPA, qualified, and progressive, and would make a great County Comptroller. She has made some enemies, I suppose, and I guess she doesn't stand much of a chance even if she got into the race.
Does anyone have any other ideas?
Lisa Cutten would have been a great choice, but she ran against the Democratic Party nominee, so she sank her ship with the Kingston Democratic Committee. It is a little late for her to enter the race, in any event.
It really is time to bring the Democratic Party together. It is almost June. It is NOT time to start thinking of new candidates to throw into the race.
Where is the Party Leadership? Is anyone doing anything to guide or encourage, let alone vet the candidates? Is anyone looking toward future races and succession of offices currently held?
It is not a matter of backroom dealing, it is a question of strategy and vision. Do we have any?
This is the race we face. Donaldson is a man of the people, who is respected on both sides of the aisle. Sure he's got enemies, but why are they always the shady ones? He has decades of government experience, the last 15 years, I believe, in County Government. He knows the inside and can be trusted as much as anyone.
Ask yourselves who is Auerbach going to serve? Do you trust him?
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
Sorry Jeremy, you are backing the wrong horse.
-Publius
2:46 PM Auerbach is the best candidate for the job, he is the most qualified to do the job. Lisa Cutten would be a disaster, as auditor she had dozens of people refusing to do business with Ulster County because she did not know what she was doing.
This job has nothing to do with being progressive or being conservative. It's about doing the job. Elliott can and will do the job.
TO 1:15 for someone that knows so much about Donaldson's abilities you are wrong on a number of issues. Donaldson is Chairman of the Legislature not Majority Leader, and he is not a CPA
Publius,
Donaldson is not the man of the people. He promises the world just to stay in power, though he delivers nothing. The majority of Kingston committee members prefer Auerbach over him.
He is out of favor with most legislators who are on to his deceptive and manipulative ways. He does not have an honest bone in him.
Even if you like Dave he is totally unqualified to be Comptroller. Knowing the county has nothing to do with being Comptroller, he can't even describe the job when he address's town committee's. If you look at the two Democrats the decision is simple. Political hack (Donaldson) vs. private businessman/fiscal officer (Auerbach).
Do the right thing for Ulster County. Vote Auerbach.
4:40 - I don't know where you get that the majority of the Kingston Committee is behind Auerbach. I've spoken with many Kingston committeemembers who are voting for Dave at the convention. You must be speaking with Provenzano - of course she's not supporting Dave; she lost to him for Chairman. Dave was an alderman for the city for many years and he always keeps his word - something you can't say about Elliott. For Kingston to not support their hometown boy, which was the basis for their rabid support for Bradley, is unconscionable. Dave is going to win the convention, and there's going to be a lot of stuff coming out about Elliott - his dummy corporations, his pseudonyms, his favors, etc. People are going to find out who the real Elliott is and he's going to lose the primary.
to 10:59. Name the people who are supporting Donaldson. You named Provenzano, so name a supporter.
By the way, did it ever occur to you that Provenzano was right in not supporting Dave? Just because he won (by 1 vote), does not mean he was the best person for the job. Just look in Washington. I have heard stories of when he was on the council that will fly in the face of what you say about him keeping his word. He is not the most trustworthy person around. Being from Kingston should not be a criteria for supporting a candidate. Auerbach projects a much more professional image and superior presentation of his skills. I do not get the sense that politics is his driving force. That can not be said for Donaldson.
Please tell us the stories about how Dave was not the most trustworthy person on the council. If you've heard stories, we'd love to hear them. Dave has been elected over and over again - if he wasn't trustworthy, he'd have lost one election after the next. Elliott didn't "win" his position as manager, he was appointed. And just because he was appointed, doesn't mean he's the best person for the job. Look at school principals and superintendents. Sometimes, the best person for the job doesn't get the job. You're 100% right when you say "Being from Kingston should not be a criteria for supporting a candidate." Where were you last year when Kingston supported Bradley just because he was from Kingston? Don't be fooled by the fact that Elliott "projects a much more professional image and superior presentation of his skills." The operative word in your sentence is "projects"; that doesn't mean that Elliott is more professional and has superior skills. It just means he's a better actor. It's a charade...
Anyone with a (D) after their name could win in the districts Donaldson won in. The wins had nothing to do with him. Loughran has gotten more votes in several elections, now that is scary. Kingston did not vote to make endorsement for comptroller because they did not want to embarass Donaldson. As chair of the legislature he should be cleaning up and he's not. The more people know him the less they like him. Auerbach may win convention but he will easily prevail in a primary.
This should not even be a contest. Donaldson does not remotely possess the skill set required for this position. There is no way he could. Being a legislature or even chairman in no way makes you qualified for comptroller. I fail to see how they are remotely similar. There is nothing in his other experiences that would indicate he has obtained the skills necessary for this job. Auerbach at least has significant business experience outside of government. He was a successful businessman for years, in many different types of businesses, long before he got into government service. Donaldson was a successful teacher. An honorable profession, but certainly no training ground for someone to be comptroller. Whether you "like" one over the other is irrelevant...if this conversation was simply about skills for the position, Donaldson does not possess them and we cannot afford to have him learn on the job. As to Lisa Cutten, she would be a nightmare.
Can someone tell me what the difference is between a "progressive" comprtroller and a moderate comptroller and why it would matter.
Saw both Auerbach and Donaldson at the Saugerties Democratic Committee meeting. Elliot had a better presentation.
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