For More Information Contact:
Alana Sawchuk, Executive Assistant to the Comptroller
asawchuk@dutchessny.gov / comptroller@dutchessny.gov
(845) 486-2050
First Special Report of Tenure
The Dutchess County Comptroller has released the first special report of his tenure in response to inquiries regarding federal funding following the memos issued by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) starting January 27, 2025. Despite two court orders requiring that all federal disbursements proceed as normal, some governments and non-profit agencies have reported a continued pause. In light of the confusion generated by these recent federal mandates, the Comptroller’s Office has provided a profile for Dutchess County residents to understand how the County utilizes federal funding.
“More than 10% of Dutchess County’s expenditures come from federal dollars and Dutchess County residents directly benefit from over $1.9 billion in federal assistance,” said Comptroller Aymar-Blair. “This funding keeps children and families out of poverty. It fixes roads, sidewalks, and buses, and it allows counties like Dutchess to be prepared for emergencies and disasters.”
The Comptroller’s Report utilized the County’s Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA), which is generated annually by the Department of Finance and subsequently audited by an outside firm. The report also included reviews of the largest sources of federal direct assistance to Dutchess County residents, including Medicaid, Child Health Plus and Children’s Medicaid, Medicare, Military Medical Insurance, and Social Security.
“Dutchess County relies heavily upon this embattled federal funding. Cuts to Dutchess County’s federal funding could impact life-saving programs. And reduced consumer spending would be a likely side effect of reduced federal assistance like Medicaid,” said Comptroller Aymar-Blair.
While no immediate impacts have been felt by recent changes made at the federal level, the Dutchess County Comptroller, as well as his fellow County officials, will keep a close eye on these developments and may issue future reports and analyses about how the shifting federal landscape might influence Dutchess County’s budget.
The Comptroller's Report on the County's federal funding profile can be found here (.pdf).
