The SCPR is once again being told that results could come any minute in the FBI's investigation to an alleged theft of taxpayer money out of the Stark County treasurer's office.
Today is the first anniversary (obviously not a day to celebrate as far as Stark County government is concerned) of allegations made by Stark County treasurer Gary D. Zeigler - to local media - that his chief deputy Vince Frustaci had stolen county money from the treasurer's office. Zeigler also announced that he had fired Frustaci on the basis of the allegations.
County officials have wanted the investigation of the matter to have been completed long before now. it appears that the next two weeks may well be the time frame within which Stark Countians will learn the results of the FBI investigation.
Two sources are reporting the imminence of an announcement by law enforcement officials on the outcome of the investigation.
One source used the figure $3,000,000 as the amount missing.
If true, such a loss further complicates the county's desperate financial picture.
Most knowledgeable Stark County political observers (including the SCPR) believe that there is no chance that the county can convince Stark voters to pass a new sales/use tax issue and base their analysis on the fact that the county imposed 0.50% tax increase in December, 2008 only to have it rescinded by voters in November, 2009 by an overwhelming majority and the economic reality of local, state and national economies being in the dumper.
Add missing money, and the political complications grow, perhaps, to the point that not even a renewal will pass when it comes up which most certainly will be in November of this year
Once the investigation results are announced, the SCPR believes that there will be a renewed outburst from the Stark County public of indignation at the loss in terms of wondering how it could possibly have happened under Zeigler's watch. Moreover, the public may want to punish the entire county government operations over the failure from within the Stark treasury to have adequate safeguards in place to have prevented the alleged loss.
The Report is told that there are some within Stark County government who are putting pressure on Treasurer Zeigler to step down. The Report has previously stated that, in the opinion of yours truly, Zeigler should resign.
For him to do so might make it easier for other county officials to convince voters to approve at least a renewal of the existing 0.25 sales/tax add-on which is due to expire on June 30, 2011.
Two sources are reporting the imminence of an announcement by law enforcement officials on the outcome of the investigation.
One source used the figure $3,000,000 as the amount missing.
If true, such a loss further complicates the county's desperate financial picture.
Most knowledgeable Stark County political observers (including the SCPR) believe that there is no chance that the county can convince Stark voters to pass a new sales/use tax issue and base their analysis on the fact that the county imposed 0.50% tax increase in December, 2008 only to have it rescinded by voters in November, 2009 by an overwhelming majority and the economic reality of local, state and national economies being in the dumper.
Add missing money, and the political complications grow, perhaps, to the point that not even a renewal will pass when it comes up which most certainly will be in November of this year
Once the investigation results are announced, the SCPR believes that there will be a renewed outburst from the Stark County public of indignation at the loss in terms of wondering how it could possibly have happened under Zeigler's watch. Moreover, the public may want to punish the entire county government operations over the failure from within the Stark treasury to have adequate safeguards in place to have prevented the alleged loss.
The Report is told that there are some within Stark County government who are putting pressure on Treasurer Zeigler to step down. The Report has previously stated that, in the opinion of yours truly, Zeigler should resign.
For him to do so might make it easier for other county officials to convince voters to approve at least a renewal of the existing 0.25 sales/tax add-on which is due to expire on June 30, 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment