LWVBN Voter Guide 2009

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Erie County Comptroller

TERM: 2 YEARS - SALARY: $80,615 - The Comptroller is the chief accounting, reporting, auditing and fiscal officer of the County and has the following powers and duties: 1) Is responsible for the receipt and investment of all County funds; 2) Structures the sale of all County bonds and notes; 3) Maintains the County's computerized general ledger; 4) Prepares quarterly and annual financial statements; 5) Procures and reconciles statements from all deposits and accounts; 6) Audits the financial records and accounts and the management procedures of all departments, officers and employees who deal with County funds; 7) Serves as chief accountant to the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library; 8) Serves as advisory member of the County's Capital Projects Committee; 9) Assists in the recovery of certain past due monies owed to the County.


Questions: Replies to questions are printed as received with no correction of spelling, punctuation, or grammar. Q. How can the fiscal reporting process be made more transparent to the public?
Michael J. Abramo
Independence
No Reply
Philip C. Kadet
Republican, Conservative
RESIDENCE: East Aurora AGE: 66 CAMPAIGN PHONE: 716.492.8646 EMAIL: kadetforcomptroller@gmail.com CAMPAIGN WEB SITE: www.kadetforcomptroller.com EDUCATION: Phil Kadet received a Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1964 and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the same institution in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. OCCUPATION/CURRENT POLITICAL OFFICE: Last year, Phil Kadet retired after spending over 30 years as a CPA and private sector auditor at Lumsden & McCormick, one of Buffalo's largest accounting firms. For the last 12 years, as managing partner, Phil was the chief executive of the firm. EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS: Phil Kadet has led over 500 audits, working with businesses of all sizes, non-profits, and governments. As managing partner, he led his firm through a period of rapid growth, tripling its size. Most importantly, Phil has a record of independence and integrity, preparing him to be the taxpayers' watchdog. 		A. By producing periodic (best being monthly) accurate financial statements, cash flows, analysis and projections. The comptroller must be perceived by the public and other financial statement users as being experienced, independent, and nonpartisan. The above must be accompanied by clear, lucid and understandable explanations delivered personally by the comptroller.
Mark Poloncarz (incumbent)
Democratic Party and Working Families Party
RESIDENCE: 47 Fordham Drive, Buffalo, New York 14216 AGE: 41 CAMPAIGN PHONE: 716-393-3203 FAX: 716-393-3206 EMAIL: information@markpoloncarz.com CAMPAIGN WEB SITE: www.markpoloncarz.com EDUCATION: SUNY @ Buffalo, B.A., 1989; The University of Toledo College of Law, J.D., 1997 OCCUPATION/CURRENT POLITICAL OFFICE: Current occupation: Erie County Comptroller. Former occupation: attorney practicing in the area of business and finance law in Buffalo, New York. While I have retained my law license, I am not practicing law, instead working full-time on behalf of the residents of Erie County as their independent fiscal watchdog. EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS: As the taxpayers' watchdog I have restored fiscal discipline to Erie County. On my watch, I issued more than 30 major audits/reviews that uncovered millions in wasteful government spending, increased the county's reserves tenfold, obtained credit rating upgrades from all rating agencies and have ended every year with surpluses. 		A. I have issued more financial reports than my predecessor. I am the first Comptroller to issue quarterly financial statements and a comprehensive annual budget report. Every document can be viewed online at http://www.erie.gov/comptroller/index.asp. If re-elected I will continue the same so the public knows how its tax-dollars are being spent.