State is Auditing NYPA Fund

Sweeney's staff pretended that looking into his "Congressional Winter Challege" was a partisan "witchhunt", but the fact is that even Gov. Pataki questions funding the event.

Audit firm will review NYPA's charity gifts: Public authority hires a company to check on how it gives profits to charities. Friday, July 28, 2006 By Michelle Breidenbach Staff writer

The New York Power Authority has hired an outside auditing firm to examine the way the state-run electric company gives away $1 million a year to charity.

NYPA has signed a contract with Bennett, Kielson, Storch & DeSantis for about $15,000, NYPA spokesman Michael Saltzman said. The firm, like NYPA, is headquartered in White Plains.

Gov. George Pataki ordered the authority to review its charitable-giving practices earlier this year after The Post-Standard reported that the state government office was making donations to groups in which its top managers are involved....

NYPA's giving is under investigation by two state Assembly committees that oversee public authorities and energy. It has also fueled fodder for the campaign trail in the congressional district that covers Lake Placid. NYPA, in January, spent $25,000 on a ski weekend for U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, his friends and family, NYPA staff and family members and at least a dozen Washington lobbyists.

NYPA gave the money to the Olympic Regional Development Authority to run a winter fantasy camp, intended to bring federal representatives to experience the 1980 Olympic venues that are still an economic engine for the Adirondack village. But many of this year's guests were in no position to fight for federal funding for the venues.

(The Post Standard 7/28/2006)