For More Information Contact:
Contact: Alana Sawchuk, Executive Assistant to the Comptroller asawchuk@dutchessny.gov / comptroller@dutchessny.gov (845) 486-2050
Independent audit confirms General Fund budget deficit of $11.85 million
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – Dutchess County Comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair has announced the release of the Dutchess County Audited Basic Financial Statements. These statements include the Independent Auditors’ Reports from Drescher & Malecki LLP for the year ended December 31, 2025. Their audit reported no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, or noncompliance.
The audit affirmed that General Fund expenditures and other uses ($602,682,425) exceeded revenues and other sources ($590,825,562) by $11,856,863 due to a decrease in sales tax revenue and operating grants, and an increase in operating expense (2.8%).
The audited financial statements show that the unassigned fund balance for the general fund has decreased to $81,593,243 in 2025, a decrease of about $22.7 million. The unassigned fund balance is available for spending at the County’s discretion and constitutes approximately 45.2% of the General Fund’s total fund balance of $180,488,712 at December 31, 2025.
“Sales and use taxes” remain the highest source of revenue at $265,782,752 in 2025, an increase of $2,090,430 from 2024 and $2.2 million less than what was projected in the adopted budget. Sales and use tax revenue is about three times higher than property tax revenue, which was $96,512,520 in 2025.
The County’s most significant expense in 2025 was for “Economic Assistance and Opportunity,” making up 30.4% of total government activities expenses. “Economic Assistance and Opportunity” includes departments like Department of Community and Family Services and Office for the Aging.
Governmental activities decreased the County’s net position by $24,048,847 for the year ended December 31, 2025, primarily due to decreases in operating grants and contributions related to the spending and recognition of American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) funding.
Federal funding accounted for $65,491,395, or 10.9%, of total expenditures.
At the end of 2025, the County’s governmental activities outstanding bonded debt totaled $298,049,967 and represents approximately 9.8% of the County’s debt limit.
“These are unusually uncertain times for our economy, making it more difficult to forecast revenues and expenditures. Going forward, the County Executive and County Legislature must take every precaution to ensure we have a balanced budget,” said the Comptroller.
The Independent Audit Committee, chaired by the County Comptroller as provided by the charter, includes the Director of Finance, the Budget Director, and the Chair of the Legislature’s Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee. The Independent Audit Committee ensures the process’s integrity and independence from planning to testing to reporting.
The Comptroller said,“I’d like to thank the Independent Audit Committee and Drescher & Malecki for making this process both thorough and seamless.”
The full audited financial statements can be found here.
The Comptroller’s Summary of the Financial Statements can be found here.
