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Controls Over eMedNY Edit Changes
Agency: Department of Health
Issued 12/10/08

Medicaid Overpayments for Medicare Part B Beneficiaries
Agency: Department of Health
Issued 12/10/08

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Tuition Assistance Program - Touro College
Agency: Higher Education Services Corporation
Issued 12/12/08

Tuition Assistance Program - Baruch College
Agency: Higher Education Services Corporation
Issued 12/12/08

Tuition Assistance Program - Molloy College
Agency: Higher Education Services Corporation
Issued 12/11/08

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I seemingly fell asleep at the wheel while awaiting updates to the Comptroller's web site.

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Metroplex Audit Request Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Over one year has passed since I penned a letter to the Mr. Kenneth Madej, the Chief Examiner at the New York State Office of the State Comptroller, requesting that an audit of the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority (hereafter “Metroplex”) be performed by his office in accordance with established state law governing public authorities.  Despite the formation of the Metroplex in 1998 and the requirement that the State of New York perform an independent audit of public authorities at a minimum frequency of once every five years, the results of the audit have not been released to the public or published to the State Comptroller's web site.

The audit request was submitted to ensure the accountability of those expending public revenues and to provide transparency to the operations of the Metroplex.   The correspondence included a list of questions that were posed by Schenectady County residents regarding the application process, the criteria for funding decisions, and the management of public revenues.

The meeting minutes of the Metroplex Board of Directors and those of the Metroplex Governance Committee that are posted on the public authority's web site reported that the audit commenced in early April 2008 and that the field work concluded on August 1.

In July 2008, the New York State Legislature passed Home Rule legislation that increased the Metroplex bond cap by 50% (from $50M to $75M) and extended the charter of the public authority by five years to 2033 without the benefit or insight that the audit results would have provided. Yet, the public awaits the results of the long overdue performance audit.

I acknowledge the improvement in appearance of a several block section of downtown State Street.  Questions remain, however, regarding the return on investment of public revenues redistributed by the Metroplex.  The public deserves answers, particularly in light of the recent notable failures of several projects funded by the Metroplex with tax revenues.  Progress?  Yes.  But, at what price?

Brad Littlefield
Delanson, NY

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Brad, do we know exactly what SPECIFICALLY they audited?  

Was it a financial checks/balances or a detailed audit of each project?