And The Audits Continue...

     Right on the heels of the scandal over the Calcasieu tax assessor audit comes news of yet another possible act of money mismanagement... this time in Baton Rouge involving the State Department of Public Safety and Corrections and State Police.  A state audit claims more than a million dollars worth of equipment was unaccounted for... and one state police employee got paid $8,215 dollars in overtime, for hours he did not work, and mileage he did not travel.  State Police Lieutenant Doug Cain says that employee has since been fired, and the money given back.  The second issue from the auditor's report is a million and a half dollars worth of unaccounted for equipment... like computers, desks, and other state tagged items.  What's your reaction to the findings in this latest legislative audit report?

Comments

[Harry Potter]

It's about time....Getting into the meat of finding the waste. Good management. It's there we just need to look for it. There are thousands of cases just like this one undiscovered. Government waste is rampid. We dont need taxes we need management.

[GUMP]

They can send that fine "state police employee" over here to Calcasieu Parish. I feel certain that "he's sorry" and "it'll never happen again". Poor fella.

He could be our Assistant Parish Administrator. He doesn't have to apply. We don't care about no qualifications. We got plenty of money for him. And a nice car. Maybe even an airplane. Poor fella.

[Scott Higginbotham]

I find it interesting that our state government and it's leader cannot manage our tax dollars but they hastily cut needed services to the poor, education, drug and alcohol addiction services and other programs that serve children. There needs to be a universal set of standards in place to make sure that allocated funds to state agencies are spent in the manner in which they are designated. So, I guess there will be deeper cuts to the programs and service provision for the poor and disenfranchized to make up for the mismanaged monies. What a sad state and a sad state of affairs.

[me.yahoo.com/a/midFbDN0pYtaD9JiQZK7ooyhNkfuehsJyQ--]

Heck this just means they are going to give out more tickets to make up for the lost furniture, we will pay for it again, again, and again.

[Lucifer and Lucy - Don't Live in Kissaska]

It's called STEALING - STEALING

[Mike]

It's no surprise to me. Most of us have known for years that this was going on but could not get anyone to investigate or prosecute. There should be no sympathy for those caught misusing public funds. It was no "accident" and they knew full well that what they were doing was illegal. Funny how all this comes out AFTER the election for tax renewal/increase. Accident? Not in my book. I will not vote for another tax renewal or increase until I am convinced that misuse of our tax dollars has been brought under control. I don't think we're even close to that point. I know tax dollars are required for many of the services we currently enjoy but I also believe that there is plenty of money to continue these services if the corruption and misuse is curtailed.

[put them all in jail]

Can someone tell me why calcasieu parish Sheriffs dept. has the 2nd highest number of full time deputies in the state,800,(plus 140 part time)lafayette gets along with almost half that amount according to todays informer.some one needs to investigate that.mabey thats why the sheriff wants a $600,000.00 Plane,to help transport them, and some idiot in letters to the editor suggested that it was really needed for better law inforcement and even said that a Helicopter was really needed also.Just remember,the majority of the people that voted for the tax extension is stuck with it forever because in 10 years they dont ever remember how our elected officals were lousy stewards of our money,Oh Well the people who was smart enough to know that we were being stole from have to suffer for the fools that believed the politicans.How do you tell when a politican is lying..their lips are moving!

[Monica]

Until they are made to serve SERIOUS JAIL TIME the crooks will continue to steal. As things stand now they are encouraged to take the gamble and continue to steal. When they get caught they simply claim to pay the money back and say they are sorry. The current way of handling it with a slap on the wrist encourages stealing! Send them to jail and throw away the key!

[Elohssa]

Business as usual in Louisiana.

Doesn't matter who sits in the governor's office, state and local governments are rife with people who are bent on lining their own pockets.

[HOMEOWNER]

I WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO ADDRESS THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE STEALING AND MALFECIANCE IN THE TAX ASSESSORS OFFICE AND THE RECENT OVER INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES ASSESSED ON THE HOMEOWNERES. AFTER FINDING OUT THAT MY HOME WAS OVER ASSESSED FOR 250,000 DOLLARS WHEN THE ACTUAL VALUE WAS 150,00 TO 185,000. I CONTACED TAX ASSESSORS RICHARD COLE'S OFFICE ON THREE OCCASSIONS. NEVER ONCE WAS I ABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM. I WAS FINALLY TOLD BY ONE OF THE LADIES, THAT MY HOME WAS ASSESSED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVED IN AND NOT ASSESSED BY AN ACTUAL ASSESSEMENT PERFORMED ON MY HOME INDIVIDULALLY. I ASKED, HOW COULD PROPERTY TAXES BE RAISED SO HIGH WHEN THERE WERE TWO HOMES ON MY STREET THAT STILL HAD BLUE ROOFS ON THEM. I WAS TOLD TO FEEL FREE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH TAX ASSESSOR. IN TURN, MY HOME WAS OVER ASSESSED. MY HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE WENT UP TO MEET THE COST OF REPLACING A 250,000 DOLLAR HOME. THIS IN TURN RAISED MY HOUSE NOTE. THIS IS AN UNJUST CYCLE THAT IS AFFECTING HOMEOWNERS IN THIS PARISH. I THINK THIS STEALING GOES DEEPER THAN THIS. THIS TAX ASSESSOR HAS ABUSED HIS POSITION AND MUST BE REPLACED. ONCE A THIEF ALWAYS A THIEF. LOOK DEEPER INTO HIS ACTIONS. WHEN WILL WE ELECT A TAX ASSESSOR THAT IS FOR THE PEOPLE AND NOT FOR HIMSELF. THE THIRD TIME IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CHARM.........

HOMEOWNER