“We may be the only county in the state, if not the country, that is able to claim 27 consecutive years of perfect audits,” stated Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson in announcing the results of the annual review of financial transactions of Atlantic County government offices and institutions.
“And what makes this even more impressive,” he added, “is that we change auditors every three years, not because it’s mandated by the state but because when I first became county executive, we made it our policy to change auditors every three years to ensure complete independence. We are not marking our own papers or checking our own work to provide more favorable results.”
Levinson and the Board of County Commissioners currently oversee an annual budget of $283 million and have consistently lowered the tax rate. This year’s county tax rate decreased by nearly 3 cents.
According to the audit, it found no deficiencies or instances of reportable non-compliance. Despite expenses being up 5 percent over the previous year, the county enjoyed an $18.5 million fund balance increase and an exceptionally low debt ratio of only .5 percent.
“As the second poorest county in the state, it’s important to find ways to save money for our taxpayers,” said Levinson. “Most municipalities had to raise their rates to keep up with inflation and rising costs. As a result of our conservative policies, effective long-term planning, and our ability to say no when necessary, we are in sound financial shape. Few local governments can match our record of performance,” he noted.
Levinson acknowledged former County Administrator Jerry Del Rosso, County Treasurer Bonnie Lindaw, the fiscal support staff and budget staff that have worked in cooperation with departments to develop manageable budgets that are sensitive to county taxpayers.
“With strong support from the Board of County Commissioners and its budget task force, I am extraordinarily proud of what we have accomplished as a team. When you do the right thing for the right reasons, it shows. And that’s what we continue to do.”
Photo credit: Atlantic County
