STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: info@mississippiwebsite.com
STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: info@mississippiwebsite.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
Please view the spending habits of your Supervisor
This is your tax dollars being used for your Supervisors gain
By GEOFF PENDER and PATRICK PETERSON
THE SUN HERALD
Thursday, March 29, 2001
Contradictions abound when state and local officials explain and interpret how Harrison County elected supervisors spend roughly $1 million a year in tax dollars from a special "escrow account."
How many of you, the taxpayers, believe these elected officials and state agencies will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God.
It's either legal or illegal, proper or improper, depending on whom you ask and when you ask.
Remember: MONEY, POWER, & PERKS + FRAUD, WASTE, & ABUSE = CORRUPTION
How many lies does it take to be considered a corrupt elected official or state agency official.
S.L. Murray, a State Auditor's Office representative, last week said that after a cursory review, the county's management of the account sounds legal and above-board.
Phil Bryant is the Mississippi State Auditor, and this makes him responsible.
I believe the Governor of Mississippi needs to replace the Mississippi State Auditor if found the county's management of the account does not sound legal and is not above-board.
This contradicts earlier statements by Rhuel Dickinson, another State Auditor's Office representative, who has said several things about the account sound illegal.
This sound like political protection too me; what do you think?
An Attorney General's Office representative recently had similar doubts.
Mike Moore is the Mississippi Attorney General, and this makes him responsible.
I would bet the Attorney General's Office will also use political protection.
"Keeping an account split five ways with each supervisor in charge of how it's spent - I would think that would go against the spirit of the unit system law, whether or not it violates the letter of the law," said Mike Lanford, deputy state attorney general.
I would also think this action is illegal, but as you know politicians will never admit wrong doing.
Perhaps the Federal agency which busted the "best system" should come back and investigate the escrow account.
Truck drivers carry two sets of book, I wonder how many our supervisors were truck drivers before being elected at our Harrison County Supervisor.
County officials repeatedly denied the five elected supervisors split the escrow money five ways. Then later, they said they do.
Once a lie always a lie, but politicians do not see it that way, they feel they never do no wrong!
Even citizens' views conflict.
The citizens' which support the supervisor in there district have something to gain from the spending of the escrow account.
There are those who believe that because the county spends much of its escrow money to help children and old people, the account is above reproach. The most vocal to speak out in favor of escrow spending thus far have been the people on whom the money is spent.
Above reproach if spent on children and old people.
The State, County, City, & Federal agencies fund millions a year supporting children & old people. But most of the millions spent seem to never filter down to the children and old people.
"You have provided me the opportunity to make Christmas gifts for my family and friends," resident Ethel Comeaux told supervisors at a meeting. She praised supervisors' spending on people at the senior citizens center she attends.
I would like too know where the money comes from to support the senior citizens center besides the escrow account.
Then there are those who believe supervisors spend the money with an eye toward re-election and feathering their own nests. Some are outraged the county would spend their tax dollars, with very little planning or oversight, on $17,000 worth of umbrellas, $20,000 worth of Mardi Gras beads for a single parade season or thousands of dollars on cars, sport utility vehicles or for furniture to redecorate officials' offices.
Remember: MONEY, POWER, & PERKS + FRAUD, WASTE, & ABUSE = CORRUPTION
I think that about sum's it up!
"My supervisor, Connie Rockco, had to have an armoire for her office for $1,200," said Biloxi resident Audrey Beckner. "My husband and I are looking for an armoire to hold our TV and stereo, but we don't have an escrow account. I know I will not spend more than $500. I could take Mrs. Rockco shopping and find one a lot cheaper."
I would bet that the county has a warehouse full of office furniture Supervisor Connie Rockco could have used for her office.
But lets have Supervisor Connie Rockco pay for the armoire herself, then when the Governor replaces her she can take it with her.
"And can I get one of these county umbrellas?" Beckner asked. "Apparently, I've bought them. I want one."
Now, now, Beckner, you know these umbrellas were purchased with taxpayers dollars for the children and old people.
One thing about the escrow account has become clear: The county keeps two sets of books.
Why would our elected officials, our Harrison County Supervisors, keep two set of books. Don't they know that is illegal and could cause the Governor of Mississippi, Ronnie Musgrove remove them from office.
That would be corruption, and we all know that our elected officials, our Harrison County Supervisors, are not corrupt. Just ask them, they will tell you they have done nothing wrong, and if you don't believe them just ask the Mississippi State Auditor, Phil Bryant or the Chancery Clerk, John Adams.
BS
What records?
A classical politicians answer, "who me."
The "official" set of books on the escrow account, which the county provided The Sun Herald in December, simply listed the thousands of purchases the county has made from the account over the last five years. The records showed a single beginning and ending balance on the account for each fiscal year.
You see, everything is legal and above board.
The records did not indicate that the five elected supervisors split the money, and when asked, supervisors and the county administrator denied there were separate accountings. They said there was some sort of gentleman's agreement to try to spread the money across the county, but that no one keeps records of it.
So now, we have the County Administrators job on the line. Can it be said that administrator did not know nothing about the two sets of books?
The plot thickens
But after a former county employee learned of these denials, she provided The Sun Herald with records indicating the county was keeping a separate set of books for individual supervisors.
What! someone with proof of corruption against out tax paid, did nothing wrong Harrison County Supervisors.
This is hard to believe, this former employee must be wrong. But she has proof of how two sets of books were keep. What are we the taxpayers to believe?
After The Sun Herald filed a public records lawsuit against the county, it produced copies in the courtroom of a second computer spreadsheet kept by the county administrator.
Well, that settles that, there were two sets of books and that my taxpayer friends is corruption.
Governor, do you duty, remove all five of the Harrison County Supervisors.
County officials have given conflicting stories about what purpose the second set of books serves, but it appears to be a close accounting of each supervisor's escrow fund.
Here the Supervisors declared they did no wrong, now we find they did deceived the taxpayers and voters of Harrison County.
Remember: MONEY, POWER, & PERKS + FRAUD, WASTE, & ABUSE = CORRUPTION
These records don't show a beginning and ending balance like the official records. These show that supervisors can, if they feel inclined, save their escrow money for years, then spend heavily, for instance, during an election year. Or, the records indicate, supervisors can spend more than their share for a while, then slow down and wait for the tax dollars to roll in and make up for the deficit.
It sound like a plan too me, and I am sure it was a plan for our Harrison County Supervisors.
Now the only thing we the taxpayers have to wait and see is if justice will be done; how about it Governor Ronnie Musgrove, are you up for the job.
Officials had been vociferous in their denials that they keep separate books. They noted that, because Harrison County operates under the "unit system" of county government, it would be improper to have individual escrow funds.
The meaning of, "vociferous" is: loud, deafening, earsplitting, piercing, thunderous.
I believe the Federal Government investigated the beat system and busted some 57 people.
Perhaps the Federal Government needs to come back and finish what they started if it is proven the beat system is still being used, even if the system is being call the, "unit system."
The unit system was designed by state leaders in the 1980s as a means of reform to try to end widespread corruption in county governments. County governments were given the option of remaining on the "beat system," under which individual supervisors run their districts like mini-governments, or switching to the unit system of centralized government. Harrison County switched to the unit system.
"Harrison County switched to the unit system."
Not in the last five (5) years they have not, and perhaps more years than that.
The unit system was intended to prevent supervisors from doling out government money as political favors.
And that is exactly what our Harrison County Supervisors have been doing, getting re-elected.
But interpretations of the unit system laws have varied. Most recently, a State Auditor's representative said the way that Harrison County supervisors split and spend escrow tax dollars is probably OK. He said the unit system mainly applies to road work.
Who in the hell is this State Auditor's representative, and I hope he or she is not gainfully employed by the end of this year.
So, Phil Bryant, the Mississippi State Auditor approves of the Harrison County Supervisors spending the taxpayers and voters money. By having two sets of books in order to keep running the Beat System.
Where does Mississippi get these politician protectors. It may be that our Mississippi Governor, Ronnie Musgrove can't do anything about corruption, and you know what that means.
Harrison County supervisors have frequently used escrow money for road work in their districts. But even that is probably acceptable, the auditor's representative said.
It is sad to read that the State Auditors Office is corrupt, but to make it known and still tries to defend itself is ridicules.
"From what we've seen so far, if they want to do it like that, that's not per se illegal," said Murray, the State Auditor's attorney.
Then what would the Harrison County Supervisors have to do in order to be considered corrupt. They have done about all they can do to lose the people trust.
Using $1 million dollars of the taxpayers money is bad enough, but to have the State Auditor, Phil Bryant and the Chancery Clerk, John Adams condone such action is nothing but political protection.
But recently, Rhuel Dickinson of the State Auditor's Office technical assistance division said, "That could be a problem, doing road work that way. That sounds like it would be a violation."
I would like to think there is one person in the State Auditors Office as being honest. But you know, it is very hard to believe there is. As we the taxpayers have seen, the Mississippi political machine runs deep and is ingrained throughout Mississippi.
Deputy Attorney General Mike Lanford said the county's escrow setup "sounds like more than a gentleman's agreement. That sounds like the beat system."
I wonder where the Deputy Attorney General, Mike Lanford got that idea. He seems to be the only one which thinks like the non-elected officials and state agencies.
Lanford said the AG's office probably would not look into Harrison County's escrow account unless the State Auditor's Office told it to do so. He said the state auditor is the authority on whether local government accounting needs investigating.
It seems like our Harrison County Supervisors have just gotten themselves a, "get out of jail free card."
Since our State Auditor, Phil Bryant is not likely to ask the Attorney Generals Office to investigate the escrow account, it is a slam dunk for the Supervisors.
Many people, organizations and politicians are already in the know: If you want the county to slide some tax dollars your way, go to your supervisor, and hope he or she is in the giving mood.
Not in a giving mood, but in a, "I can get you re-elected mood."
Cars, SUVs higher priority
County supervisors are quick to point out that they spend escrow tax dollars inside the cities in Harrison County. After all, these people help fund the escrow account, too. In fact, escrow spending is one of the county's main avenues of direct spending on city taxpayers.
What a stupid way of looking at the problem.
The Harrison County Supervisors as saying, since we spend your tax dollars in Harrison County to purchase very expensive SUV's and Cars it OK to misuse the escrow account.
I have never heard of such stupidity. The Supervisors have been investigated on why that purchase government vehicles for themselves and others like there secretaries.
Government vehicles have been purchased since the 1970's, and they stated they don't even know how many vehicles the county has.
But some city leaders have complained that county supervisors are stingy with their cities and act as if they're doing a city a personal favor by handing out some of the escrow money.
If we the people of Harrison County voted to have our Harrison County Supervisors not spend one penny of the escrow account unless there was a hearing on all spending.
And at that hearing we the people would decide where the taxpayers dollars were too be spent.
This could make a very large impact on weather our supervisors would run for re-election.
In early 1998, the city of Long Beach's budget was in the tank. Past deficit spending, newly elected Mayor Robert Bass reported, had left the city with a $300,000 budget shortfall
Since I live in Long Beach, I can relate to what is being said.
On the heels of the budget crisis, a flood-prone neighborhood in Long Beach flooded again, and residents asked the city for relief. Relief was available, through federal home buyout money, but Long Beach couldn't afford to pay the match of the federal funds.
My brother owns a home on Leigh Street in Long Beach, but the city does not seem to want to even pay the 75% for his home, he lives in San Bruno, Calif.
At one point during the budget crisis, when asked what his plans were, Mayor Bass said, "I'm going to go to Supervisor David LaRosa and ask if he can help us with some of his escrow money."
Let me think here a minute, David LaRosa was a County Supervisor. But now he is tax collector for Harrison County.
It makes you wonder why he decided to take a pay cut by choosing not to get re-elected as Harrison County Supervisor, District 3.
Either way he needs to be removed from office since he was part of the, "districts five."
Former Supervisor LaRosa, whose district included Long Beach, explained at the time that he didn't have enough escrow money to bail out the city, and that that's not what the account was designed for.
I sure hope you people, the taxpayers, have your boots on, cause it beginning to get deep.
The records first given the newspaper show the county, during fiscal 1997-98 and 1998-99, appropriated less than $70,000 in escrow money for Long Beach and did a few small public works projects. Of the money it gave the city, all but $10,000 was earmarked for recreation, the Chamber of Commerce, a tricentennial celebration and the library.
"A man must have his limitations" (from a Clint Eastwood movie)
I would say he placed the escrow money in all the right places in order to get re-elected.
During that same time, supervisors spent $297,900 on cars and sport utility vehicles for county officials from escrow, more than four times what the county appropriated for the city.
Would you say this is corruption, your State Auditor and Chancery Clerk doesn't thing so.
Expensive cars and sport utility vehicles for county officials are way more important than any city.
The county's unofficial, second set of books show that Supervisor LaRosa, during the election year of 1995, had spent his escrow account into a negative balance. His balance continued to frequently dip below six figures throughout the Long Beach budget crisis.
It seems like Supervisor LaRosa did not take an interest in the city he lives in and owns a business in.
But what can one expect of a elected official which wants to get re-elected.
And having two sets of book did help, but really screwed the taxpayers and voters of Harrison County.
Supervisor Larry Benefield's escrow balance, at the time, topped $500,000. But the unofficial records show Benefield spent his money in his own district, not Long Beach.
And they say the "Beat System" is dead.
This proves the "Beat System" is alive and well.
Are you hearing this Governor, Ronnie Musgrove, it your time to act.
Supervisors did, however, help some other Long Beach residents during the budget crunch time. The county spent more than $8,000 from escrow to send some Long Beach senior citizens on outings to Branson, Mo., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Now, isn't that nice of our Supervisors, taking the time and taxpayers money to send seniors citizens on outings.
And it only cost the taxpayers $8,000, I am sure if any taxpayer would contact the Supervisors and ask to go on an outing somewhere, they would be more than happy to pay all expenses for the trip.
Harrison County supervisors have bristled at any questions about whether the escrow account or accounts serve as political slush funds for supervisors.
Is there any doubt in anyone's mine that our Harrison County Supervisors are using the $1 million for there own gain.
Of course I can understand why our Supervisors would think differently, after all it's there ass that's on the line.
Isn't that right Governor, Ronnie Musgrove.
But the county's five supervisors have said there probably is some room for improvement in the way escrow money is spent; however, so far, supervisors have spent their energy defending escrow, not on reform.
Why would the five (5) Supervisors want to reform how the escrow account is being used.
It's a good feeling knowing that each year they will receive another $1 million, and to be able to spend this money after dividing it into five (5) parts, any way they see fit.
Remember: MONEY, POWER, & PERKS + FRAUD, WASTE, & ABUSE = CORRUPTION
In the meantime, Benefield said he is closely watching every penny of his escrow money.
Did you understand what Supervisor Larry Benefield said, "he is closely watching every penny of (his) escrow money.
The word (his) is right, the other four (4) Supervisors have there own escrow money to spend.
"I can assure you of that," Benefield said. "I want to make sure my district gets its fair share, too. ... I'm not saying we're doing it all right, but this is the nature of our county government. ... Change comes slowly."
"I want to make sure my district gets its fair share." It is hard for me too believe Supervisor Larry Benefield made that statement.
"This is the nature of our county government." Is this true, do "We the People" which pay the taxes have given our Harrison County Supervisors the right to spend $1 million a year any way they see fit.
It this is true, I believe "We the People" of Mississippi need to quit paying taxes.
"Change comes slowly." In Mississippi change does not come at all. The political machine in Mississippi is a very close net group, and they do not want any changes too be made.
Geoff Pender can be reached at 896-2329 or at glpender@sunherald.com. Patrick Peterson can be reached at 896-2343 or at pfpeterson@sunherald.com
STEVEN A. McCALEB
COMMENTARY