County comptroller releases special report on federal funding

POUGHKEEPSIE — Dutchess comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair released a special report early last week on federal monies and how they move through the county level, including the disbursement process in the county; how federal funding benefits Dutchess residents and whether any fiscal distribution issues have surfaced locally as a result of actions taken on behalf of the Trump administration.

According to Aymar-Blair’s report, federal programming represents roughly 10% of Dutchess expenditures, not including any COVID-19 assistance. As an illustration of federal- to county-level distribution and spending, in 2023, under the Biden administration, the county received approximately $65 million from the U.S. government with $25 million going toward direct aid in support of such programs as home energy assistance and food stamps. Federal monies were also disbursed — and continue to be directed — toward county-level agencies, programming and supports such as adoption, foster care and child care needs, emergency/disaster assistance, infrastructure development and maintenance, and workforce initiatives.

In addition to federal-to-county funding, Aymar-Blair noted an additional $1.9 billion annually is directly distributed to Dutchess residents from the U.S. government via Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. These entities are clearly not immune to the impact from the Trump administration as the Social Security office in Poughkeepsie, for example, has been poised for a reduction in office services. Whether Social Security benefits to individuals are reduced or cut entirely remains to be seen.

While data pertaining to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid recipients particular to Northeastern Dutchess was not readily available, data from the Social Security Administration provides some clues as to the number of individuals in Dutchess County who could potentially be impacted by benefit cuts. According to 2023 figures from the SSA, 4,730 Dutchess residents received Social Security benefits, 4,232 persons were categorized as blind/disabled and 2,904 persons were listed between the ages of 18 through 64. For adults 65 and over, 1,261 received Social Security benefits. The number of persons under the age of 18 receiving SSA benefits was listed at 565.

While cuts to Medicare and Medicaid have not been announced, it is possible under the circumstances. According to a Feb. 27 statement from Alan Morgan, chief executive officer of the National Rural Health Association, any disruption to these benefits, particularly Medicaid, would worsen an already challenging situation.” The Medicaid program is a lifeline for rural hospitals, providers and patients,” Morgan said. “Any cuts to the Medicaid program will disproportionately affect rural communities. Rural Americans rely on Medicaid coverage more so than their urban counterparts with about 20% of adults and 40% of children living in rural areas enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP,” the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Aymar-Blair agreed with the impact assessment as well as its potential outlier results, saying, “Dutchess County relies heavily upon this ... Cuts to Dutchess County’s federal funding could impact life-saving programs, and reduced consumer spending would be a likely side effect of reduced federal assistance like Medicaid.”

Aymar-Blair’s report does not include information on federal awards to businesses or municipalities, nor does it address the controversies attached to impacted in-county federal entities such as the Castle Point Veterans Hospital in Wappingers Falls, New York, which — as with the Poughkeepsie Social Security office — is also reducing its services with the closing of its E2 Acute Inpatient Care Unit, which eliminated 20 inpatient beds. While calls have gone out from local officials and residents to sustain the offerings provided by the Poughkeepsie Social Security office and the Castle Point VA hospital, no action has been taken just yet on the part of the federal government.

While Aymar-Blair concedes there has been no disruption from the federal level at this time to Dutchess funding, he has received a sufficient number of phone calls and emails from constituents to spur him to continuously monitor the situation. He is also working in collaboration with county departments to determine any impacts future actions from the Trump administration could have on funding for Dutchess County agencies, services and programs with the situation remaining very fluid.

For more information or to read the comptroller’s report in its entirety, visit: www.dutchessny.gov, navigate to “Government,” click “County Comptroller”, and click on “News and Announcements”.