Audit? We Don't Need No Stinking Audit!

At least, that was the opinion of the Springfield News-Leader back on June 12th, when the editorial took police and firefighters to task for pushing for an audit (because the city has screwed them by underfunding their pension plan.)

News-Leader then:

Step one should be to reach out to firefighters and police officers and forge an agreement that they will stop with their plans to force an audit of city finances by State Auditor Claire McCaskill.Such an audit is likely to cost more than $100,000, and by state law, the city will have to come up with that money somewhere. Find a way to stop the audit and spend that amount of money — even if it comes from reserves — on raises.

Do you suppose they regret having written that, since we now find that over $1 MILLION DOLLARS seems to be "missing" from Springfield's Municipal Court funds?

From today's (July 27th) News-Leader:

Funds missing from Springfield’s Municipal Court are now estimated at $1 million or more.

The new figure — more than double previous estimates — was announced this afternoon in a report released by the city manager’s office.

The report summarizes the city’s monthlong administrative investigation of the suspected embezzlement, which was discovered in mid-June.

Six years, SIX YEARS AGO, our city "leaders" were told that the city's accounting procedures needed to be revamped. Perhaps the problem is that they couldn't find an outside consultant to tell them how to proceed, since they need one to tell them what to do with major issues like what to do with storage containers.

TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE, SPRINGFIELD. Voters can get rid of our Mayor, Tom Carlson, along with four council members next year. Terms expire in 2007 for Sheila Wright, Ralph Manley, Conrad Griggs, and Bob Jones.

Comments

[Keith Rodgers]

That would be this Saturday, Aug. 5th, 7 PM, Panera next to the Library Station on N. Kansas. :)

[tom]

we missed you at the FairTax event today, however if you come to any of the LP meetings we can fill you in on what happened.

Tom

[Keith Rodgers]

When this idea was just that... an idea, a plank in a City Council hopeful's platform, it was dismissed even then.

Not anymore. It's needed more than ever. The auditing firm hired by the city, couldn't find (or glossed over) the Municipal Court shortfall. The State Audtior's office won't make that mistake.

[tom]

momentum seems to be swinging to the "RIGHT" side on this issue. My only hope is the people remember long enough to oust the criminals.
Do you think they will hire a consultant to see if there jobs are safe??

tom