NEW CITY – A bookkeeping error in the 2016 Rockland County general fund report showed Rockland County Government had a deficit of $4 million in its unassigned fund balance when, in fact, it had a surplus of $560,000, according to an independent audit for the county.
According to representative of Marks Paneth, the county’s independent auditor, certain long-term financial liabilities were included in the 2016 general fund that should not have been.
The error made it appear the county’s year-end unassigned fund balance had a $4 million deficit for that year and going into 2017. In reality, the auditors said the county’s year-end unassigned fund balance had a $560,000 surplus.
An adjustment was made to the county’s 2017 financial statements to address the error, the auditors said.
The new audit shows a $6.3 million surplus in the county’s year-end unassigned fund balance for 2017.
The county legislature said the surplus in part reflects the local impact of the continuing strong national economy, something that has kept the county’s sales tax strong in recent years.
