Contact: Brian Renna (315) 420-0039

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bob Antonacci's Nine-Point Plan

It's Time for a Strong and Independent Voice in State Government 

SYRACUSE, NY - Today, Bob Antonacci released his nine-point plan for reforming the office of New York State Comptroller.

"A Comptroller's single greatest asset is the power to audit state and local agencies," said Antonacci.

"However, Tom DiNapoli has time after time failed to provide a strong and independent voice when it comes to investigating fraud, theft and corruption in state government."

In May, DiNapoli created the Division of Investigation within the Office of State Comptroller (OSC), which now oversees all audits and reviews pertaining to fraud and theft that are conducted by the OSC.

Instead of working directly with district attorneys and local law enforcement, as they have done effectively in the past, state auditors will now have a partisan political referee calling the shots on what does or does not get investigated.

Predictably, the Division has chosen to ignore investigating certain issues like legislative expenditures, member items or per diems.

"DiNapoli is clearly watching out for his friends in Albany and not the New York taxpayer," said Antonacci.

"He has allowed the audit process to become politicized and manipulated by the same cadre of corrupt crony politicians who appointed him, chief among those being State Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver.

"As State Comptroller I promise to do the following. I will:
  • Appoint qualified people to manage all audit operations.
  • Allow professionally qualified auditors to make decisions based on a real assessment of the risks that exist to the operations in New York State local governments, agencies, and public authorities.
  • Bring an improved focus at OSC to fraud, theft and corruption in New York State local governments, agencies, and public authorities. I will also work with the appropriate officials at the federal, state, and local levels to better coordinate the focus on fraud, theft and corruption.
  • Bring a renewed focus to financial management activities of State agencies and public authorities. This is crucial to addressing fraud and the waste of taxpayer dollars.
  • Ensure that qualified auditors have unfettered access to people and records at the agencies, authorities, or state and local governments being audited. When necessary, I will use the Comptroller's subpoena power to gain access to people and records when the agencies or governments being audited attempt to stall or stonewall.
  • Reassess and manage the audit operations that are scattered throughout the current State Comptroller's Office to make the best use of this important OSC function.
  • Reassess the current contract approval process. As it stands now, the process is labor intensive, cumbersome, and an impediment to state agency managers. I will modernize this key operation in order to make it more effective and efficient overall.
  • Coordinate with federal agencies to eliminate the incredible waste that occurs in our State Medicaid and Medicare programs through fraud, the cost of which is currently being passed on to the average taxpayer.
  • Reassess whether the Division of Investigations should even exist. I will work with the various prosecutorial agencies to determine the best investigative means for the OSC."

Bob Antonacci is the two-time elected Comptroller of Onondaga County, which has the highest credit rating in New York State. 

 

 

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