George Borrello, Andrew Molitor
State Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andrew Molitor are urging Governor Kathy Hochul to establish a state financial control board for the City of Dunkirk.
Borrello and Molitor sent a letter asking the governor to include enabling legislation establishing the board in her forthcoming 30-day budget amendments.
The lawmakers said the recent arrest of Dunkirk’s former treasurer on charges of allegedly stealing more than $120,000 from taxpayers, the second such case involving a city official in recent years, underscores the depth of the city’s governance and oversight failures.
Borrello said, “Dunkirk’s problems are systemic and ongoing. The city needs more than short-term loans. It needs real, independent oversight, fiscal discipline, and a credible framework to restore transparency and public trust.”
Assemblyman Molitor said a control board is the most responsible way to protect taxpayers and stabilize the city’s finances, “The State Comptroller has repeatedly warned about Dunkirk’s deteriorating financial condition and poor record keeping. A control board would provide the expertise and accountability needed to finally put the city on a sustainable path forward.”
In their letter, the legislators note that while the state’s $13.7 million loan has provided temporary lifeline, it does not address the structural problems that allowed years of mismanagement and oversight failures to continue unchecked. They argue that a state financial control board would ensure long-term stability while preventing future abuses.
What really underscores the need for a control board is the 84% tax increase in 2024 that didn’t even cover the budget deficit. The treasurer and mayors brother stealing is minor stuff as justification for a control board. This should have never taken so long.