Marc Molinaro

Recent reports that the new City of Poughkeepsie administration headed by Republican Mayor Rob (or perhaps Robbed) Rolison has discovered nearly $8 million in debts – including more than $1 million owed to the Poughkeepsie School District – left unpaid by outgoing Republican Mayor John Tkazyik leaves us asking one important question: Where did the money go?

Tkazyik, Molinaro and Rolison
Former Mayor John Tkazyik (R) (left), County Executive Marc Molinaro (R) (center) and new Mayor Rob Rolison (R) are center stage in a financial train wreck centered around the City of Poughkeepsie.
We know at least $6 million in sales tax revenue was taken from the struggling city by Dutchess County under the direction of Republican County Executive Marcus Molinaro and the Republican-dominated county legislature. Facing his own budget problems in 2011, Molinaro ripped up the existing sales tax sharing agreement and pushed through a new plan that filled the county coffers at the expense of the cities and towns. Since 2012, the City of Poughkeepsie has lost an estimated $6M in sales tax revenues – money that would have gone a long way to paying the bills.

And who was leading the county legislature at the time? None other than then-Chairman Robbed Rolison! Ah the irony. But it is surely less amusing to the Poughkeepsie residents that will have to foot the bill with higher taxes and reduced services.