In 2011, Ulster County engaged CGR to provide comprehensive analytical support for its proposed 2012 fiscal year budget of $350 million.  CGR analyzed all line items across the county’s 7 fund accounts and reported on the reasonableness of projected spending and revenue levels. The economic and fiscal analysis covered outstanding and anticipated debt, general operations, and fee/rate-based services such as county nursing home functions.  The review also included detailed analysis of anticipated revenue levels and identification of budgetary alternatives to consider in the process of arriving at a balanced budget.

CGR analyzed employee health costs, paid time off and other fringe benefits for some 24,000 local government and school employees covered by 94 union contracts in Monroe County NY and found taxpayers fund health and paid time off benefits that typically exceed national averages. In some cases, the disparities are significant. CGR found, for example, if local government and school employees contributed to their current health benefits at the average national rate, Monroe County taxpayers would save $40 million annually. The report was prepared for the Rochester Business Alliance and Unshackle Upstate.

Chemung County NY recently engaged CGR to provide analytical guidance to a financial review committee that is quantifying the full cost of local government services. The committee’s work will provide the basis for identifying efficiency enhancement opportunities across the county.

A county industrial development agency (IDA) asked CGR to conduct an economic impact study of a wind farm project proposed for two towns. CGR’s assessment includes the number of jobs the construction phase can be expected to create, the related job earnings, and the number of jobs likely to be created for the annual operation of the wind farm. In addition, CGR estimates the developer’s annual net revenue from the proposed wind farm in order to provide information to the IDA for the negotiation of a payment-in-lieu-of-tax (PILOT) agreement.