Jun 6, 2012 12:28 PM
A drop in the number of tickets issued by Southampton Village Police and ordinance enforcement officers in 2011 and the revenues they generate for the village, which led to the village’s Justice Court technically ending the year in the red, has spotlighted a habit of casual oversight that had the court running over budget for years before actually realizing a deficit.
According to village financial records, the Justice Court was over budget in the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years. In 2008-09 and 2009-10, the court’s robust revenues obscured the overspending, because it still realized a profit despite posting better than $80,000 more in expenses than budgeted in 2009-10. In 2010-11, the court was again more than $50,000 over budget. At that point, independent auditors highlighted the court’s spending because... more
According to village financial records, the Justice Court was over budget in the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years. In 2008-09 and 2009-10, the court’s robust revenues obscured the overspending, because it still realized a profit despite posting better than $80,000 more in expenses than budgeted in 2009-10. In 2010-11, the court was again more than $50,000 over budget. At that point, independent auditors highlighted the court’s spending because... more
Then project out falling revenues over the same period (notably property taxes, especially if the world and US economies take a further turn down over ...more the next few years). The curves started conflicting many years ago (were these projections done carefully in the past?).
"Can't happen here" you say?
Fiddle Fiddle Fiddle