Elmira's math satisfies county officials

Elmira, Chemung County leaders meet to clarify how city quickly reversed financial deficit. By Ray Finger • Some county officials had sought clarification on how the city achieved its turnaround. They said they were particularly curious because published reports in March indicated Elmira officials were projecting a $1.5 million deficit at end of 2007, but the city announced a $478,282 surplus only a month later during a report on the city's 2007 audit. "That's simply the budgeted amount that we had forecasted in our budget because the audit was ongoing in the first quarter and was not completed," City Chamberlain David Vandermark said. "I don't like to release numbers until we have the facts and I'm in agreement with the auditors on what that number's going to be," he said. "It was simply the deficit from the year before... [read full story]