ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

GOING....GOING.....GONE

Another one bites the dust as we predicted several weeks ago as Budget Direct Art Smith heads out of the automatic doors at 244 Fair Street. Smith has had several incarnations as a county employee including the administrator who was replaced by the current county executive during his meteoric rise to the top.

The announcement was quietly released to the press as Friday the 13^th came to a close and it also folded in some other interesting news.

Smith’s replacement is JJ (come lately) Hanson a former Governor Spitzer and Governor Patterson spokesman who arrived as the executive’s camera wielding, press releasing deputy budget director. JJ, a Marine who is both loyal and faithful to the sixth floor has been rewarded with a multiple thousand dollar bump and an opportunity to help Mike Hein move on to his next political endeavor.

Succeeding Hanson will be a poached staffer from Comptroller Elliott Auerbach’s office, Senior Auditor Lisa Cutten. She will also receive a sizable financial bump up and exchange her collective bargaining status to an at will employee of the Exec.

Stay tuned and pay close attention there will be more changes on the horizon.