WIBX First News Talks With New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli [VIDEO]

On WIBX’s First News with Keeler in the Morning WIBX spoke with New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

DiNapoli is releasing his fiscal review for the City of Utica.

The Comptroller talks about the fiscal monitoring system that has been designed for municipalities.  He says that by identifying challenges early, cities are empowered to face their fiscal problems head on.

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DiNapoli says that the City of Utica is not alone in its fiscal challenges.  He says that this is a difficult time to be leading, and Utica has been hit hard by the Great Recession.

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Keeler asks the Comptroller about job growth in the state.

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Comptroller DiNapoli saysthat the Utica area has grown back some lost jobs and “…we’re slowly pulling out of a tough time.”  Utica, he says, is definitely not out of the woods.

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Keeler asks DiNapoli if Utica is about to go over “its own fiscal cliff.”  The Comptroller acknowledges the state’s financial struggles and says that it is in New York’s best interest to keep Utica viable.

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After a commercial break, Keeler talks about poverty and high unemployment rates in Utica.  Comptroller DiNapoli says many smaller cities in upstate New York are facing similar challenges.

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The goal of the program with Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office is for cities to avoid being taken over by control boards and bankruptcy.  Tough choices, DiNapoli says, have to be made at the local level.  He says that the public needs to know not only about the problems, but about the enormity of the problems as well.

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Kristine questions whether the characterization of the city of Utica’s finances as “dire” is accurate, and whether there is light at the end of the tunnel.  He agrees that often the concept of what it fair is judged in terms of where one sits.

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For more information on the Comptroller’s Fiscal Profile for Utica click on Jim Rondenelli’s story below:

DiNapoli Releases Fiscal Profile of Utica