Wow…all that wonderful stuff in the Vision 2020…all those great projects happening in some areas of town…All Town Council’s visions (see: ThinkChristiansburg.com). Then, on the other handthere are issues like: Read the rest of this entry »
Tag Archives: tax
Taxpayer Money Used to Pay Off Law Suits and Citizens Never Know.
As many of you know, I keep a running lists of questions that people have contacted me about. One of the most common one’s I hear is “How can the Town of Christiansburg get sued so much and then even the Town Council Members cannot find out what the settlement price was?”
That is a very good question and one that has been answered quite well by the Virginia Coalition for Open Government on a Blog article by Megan Rhyne “Secret lawsuit settlement amounts“. This same blog article was edited and appeared on the May 31, 2009 edition of the Roanoke Times “The public doesn’t know the price it paid“.
What does this mean for citizens? Ultimately, it means that your tax money is used to pay for the insurance that pays settlements in legal cases. Will you know how much or to whom the amount goes to? Not very likley. Will you receive a report of the affect these lawsuits will have on the insurance premiums in the future? What will be the long term financial affect to the taxpayer? There have been multiple instances where law suits have been applied against the Town of Christiansburg. These are almost always settled and with that settlement the records are sealed meaning that you, the taxpayer, have no access to that information.
Now, legal records do not seal themselves. Only a Judge can order the sealing of such records and the Judge has to be asked to do so. That means either the individual/group suing the Town or the Town’s representative MUST ask that those records be sealed.
In other jurisdictions, the facts are known by the elected officials. Christiansburg, however, seems to handle this a bit differently. Only the Town Manager is allowed to know. Town Council Members that were asked advised that they did not know and had been told they could not be given that information.
Some have suggested that it is the Town Attorney that is adding the factor of ‘silence’ to the equation. However, an attorney can advise a client, but it is ultimately the client (in Christiansburg’s case the Town Manager) who prompts the attorney to make a request to the Judge to seal the records. Somehow or other, the wording must be getting included in those orders that either none or only some of the Town Council members are being informed.
Our government has a responsibility to manage the town’s money. We as citizens have the right to see how well they perform that function. As the article referenced above notes, there are certainly some things within a law suit that should be kept confidential, but the amount of settlement hardly seems to be one of them. And, if Town Council members are kept out of the ‘knowledge loop’, how can they be expected to evaluate the situation and make sure it doesn’t happen again. In the recent past, one Town Council member responded to an issue by simply saying…”so sue us”. That’s easy to say when it is not your money or reputation that is one the line but rather the town’s. Just how many law suits have been filed against the Town of Christiansburg in the last 20 years. How many of those cases were settled and an order to seal the records issued by the Court? No. I don’t have the full answer to those questions. Yet:)
If you think taxpayers and Town Council members should be aware of the amount of settlements paid and how it can, will, or has affected insurance rates, please take the time to contact you Delegates and State Senators and let them know. You can find contact information at the Virginia General Assembly homepage.
We already pay for universal health care … in Iraq and Afghanistan that is!
There is a world map online that shows some interesting details on which countries have universal health care, which are trying to obtain it, and which are avoiding it. Perhaps most interesting of all is where it is noted that both Iraq and Afghanistan have universal health care provided by U.S. war funding.
In a September 9, 2009 article for the Huffington Post by Mark Dorlester entitled Guaranteed Health Care in Iraq – But Not For You, more information comes out about how Republicans have historically behaved when it comes to universal health care. The Iraqi Constitution was carefully crafted to mandate universal health care and, in fact, notes: “Article 31 reads: “First: Every citizen has the right to health care. …” THE RIGHT! So, the U.S. can step in and demand that citizens of other countries have health care as a right, but it is a right denied to its own CITIZENS?
Here, in the United States we have people asking for this type of health care. Instead of providing it, our own government refuses U.S. citizens BUT forces the same thing down the throats of countries that have not asked for it?
I do not understand the difference in values here. The article above goes on to say: “In other words, the most senior members of the Republican establishment – and some Democrats like Max Baucus (D-MT) – have gladly spent more taxpayer funds to ensure health care as a Constitutional right in Iraq than they are willing to spend to give you any level of guaranteed coverage.”
I would certainly like to know exactly which of our elected officials voted to support and fund that war, then…ask them to explain why they feel citizens of other countries are more deserving of a Constitutional right to health care AND the taxpayer money to support it!
The author also provided a link to the full text of the Iraq Constitution…a very interesting read indeed!
e gave you $100,000 for your retirement? Who would you trust to manage it?
Who would you trust to handle that money for you? Essentially, that is what you are doing when you decide who to vote for on election day!
Elected officials, whether federal, state, county, city, or town, have all that tax money of yours. That money pays for a lot of daily use items like roads, sewers, water lines, etc. However, those elected officials make a lot of decisions that affect your future. Growth causes increased demands on services which result in the need for services to be not only maintained but expanded (or it should be done). How well that money is used is a measure of how well someone is handling your investment. If someone bought stock for you, using your money, and it ended up resulting in no profits and the loss of your initial investment as well, just how happy would you be?
I would be pretty darned angry!
The proper use of your tax money should result in better services, enhanced quality of life, increased property values, a safer environment, and a lot of other things I could list.
Just thought I would mention this idea in time for people to take a look at things like thousands of your dollars spent on software that was never used. (Do you hear the sound of the flushing in the background? that was your tax money being wasted.) Something to think about! How much money do you think you invest in taxes over a 30-40 year time period? Even at a local level with property taxes, sales taxes, meals taxes, cigarette taxes, etc…etc…etc. I’ll bet it adds up to a nice chunk of change! Who do you trust to manage that money?
Financial Reports made EASY!! Well, the expenses are easy, the product — not so much!
On October 4, 2005, the Town Council of Christiansburg, VA, heard a tear jerker of an appeal from Town Manager Lance Terpenny. The Town Manager put forth a request for a budget amendment for New and Improved fancy Finance Software. According to the report, over the course of 3 years, 3 different RFP’s for Utility/Financial/Information Management Software were posted. It was not until the 3rd attempt (3 years of waiting?) before some responses came in that qualified for review. A committee of selected Town Staff and the Town’s computer consultants reviewed the applicants and recommended Cogsdale Corporation provide the Town with the needed software. The software was to allow for communication between departments, helping with delinquent tax payments and greatly increasing the efficiency of each department. UNFORTUNATELY, the $200,000 set aside in the Budget for this acquisition fell short of the mark. Manager Terpenny requested an additional $160,090.00 for a full negotiated price of $360,090. The negotiated cost included the software, installation, training, and support. Administration Officer, Scot Shippee, commented that this is a leased software program and updates and maintenance will cost approximately $30,000 per year. It was noted by the Town Manager that this does not require a Public Hearing, but does require two readings.
On October 18, 2005, the Town Council revisited this matter:
COUNCIL ACTION ON BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR FINANCE SOFTWARE. Town Manager Terpenny briefed Council on this matter discussed at the October 4, 2005 meeting. He added that this software would also allow the Town to accept credit card payments, and make electronic direct deposits for employees. Councilman Ashworth made a motion to approve tlie budget amendment to allow the purchase of the finance software. Councilman Barber seconded the motion and Council voted as follows: AYES: Ashworth. Ballengee, Barber, Carter, Huppert, and Wade. NAYS: None.
Okay…so the Town has this super duper software package that it has leased for $360,090 that is suppose to make like wonderful, yet I hear the Mayor say it is too complex to give a report that is any more complex than this amount went to this person/company (without any explanation of what it is for????). What in the heck????
And just exactly how much of that total cost and the ongoing annual fees of $30,000 per year were wasted on a system to accept credit card payments that almost 4 years later has not been implemented?
There, Mr., Mrs, or Ms. taxpayer you now have a prime example of your tax money at work. As you’re thinking about that remember that it was the Town Council’s role to approve or disapprove based upon the recommendations of the Town Manager. It was the Town Manager’s role to see that the entire system was implemented. Heck! Maybe the Town Manager will get another raise this year because he is so efficient and necessary. Guess we’ll find out when his contract come up for renewal in September.
I don’t doubt the vendor’s product was well worth the price. But, why in the heck use other people’s money to by a Mercedes when a Ford (or a bus token!!!) would work as well??? I sure hope to goodness this new finance officer can get the most back for taxpayer buck out of the program. Of course, I’ve heard a rumor that she is quite adept at establishing her own programs at…duh…no extra cost to taxpayers!!!!
