Is something amiss in Metro Government? It seems we have always suspected a lot of things were but all of a sudden Abramson's magic that he used to keep everything under wraps seems to have lost its sparkle. Since a divorce from the Mayor for Life is quickly approaching maybe there are people finally willing to come forward and speak without fear of retribution or maybe they are emboldened by the fall of the evil empire and scrambling to grab whatever they can. Many of us suspected that many of these dirty little secrets took place but were squelched at high levels.
I was shocked last week but certainly not surprised when 2 of Abramson's longtime cronies were caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Like their esteemed leader they felt the rules didn't apply to them. Maybe they felt because he set such a grand example of nepotism and behind the scenes dirty deals that it was all right for them to run the chance of doing whatever they wanted to do. Even with strict rules set in place it seems that it is always his "appointees", you remember the "best people for the job." The ones he selects more through political connectivity, friendship, and filial and business relationships than through merit or actual qualifications. It seems that the people that must test and actually train and qualify for these positions aren't the ones that are causing the problems.
As I previously stated, we have born witness to years of these troubling and I daresay criminal actions that Louisville and now Louisville Metro's CEO has perpetrated on our community because of his arrogance and eloquence. Yes, he is a charismatic charmer. Bill Clinton had it too. You can get away with a lot and fool a lot of people if you smile while you are stabbing them in the back or while you are picking their pocket.
The findings of the year-end audit are very bad for hizzoner the mayor. Crit Luallen's office found 30 serious problems with the city's financial reporting and many minor issues. I encourage everyone to take a look at the 212 page audit. Here is something that was in there that wasn't reported:
Policemen's Retirement Fund * Strothman & Company
1600 Waterfront Plaza
325 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 402023
Firefighters' Pension Fund* Strothman & Company
1600 Waterfront Plaza
325 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Notice the asterisk beside these two funds? Here is what that signified.
*Agreed upon procedures engagement only. Audit report was not issued.
Now I ask myself what exactly it means. Why haven't we gotten a chance to look at these figures? Remember Abramson personally raided this fund for millions of dollars back in the 90's. Why aren't we looking into every bit of revenue that he has control of?
Keep in mind that every single one of the serious findings are all managed by people that Abramson personally appointed or by were actions he took upon himself to perform. Whatever happened to posting a position and letting qualified people apply for the position? Whatever happened to finding qualified people for positions without doing the expensive nationwide searches that largely turn into vacation junkets for cronies of the mayor?
I watched the mayor talking about the two recent resignations of two of his cronies and was sickened by his two faced bantering about how this disturbed him! Of all the gall! This is the same man that has deemed himself above the law and above reproach in his underhanded dealings over the past several decades that have cost Louisville and now Metro taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
This is the man that has driven our economy to the brink of destruction. His policy to litigate and put off when he is clearly wrong only costs the taxpayers more in the long run. (Yes, Jerry I haven't forgotten the $1,410.00 you stole from me in car usage fees. I want my damn money and I don't want to wait 14 years like the fire fighters were forced to do.) His policies and high handed spending have bankrupted our government. He has cut manpower in every agency to try and cover his lapses in judgment. He has cut city services to the bone. I pity the person that has to come in afterwards to clean up his mess.
Does anyone remember last year when Abramson and then spokesperson Kerry Richardson (who now works for Governor Brashear interestingly enough) tried to foist a 4 page summary of metro finances and proclaim that they were providing the transparency in government that everyone wanted to see? Remember when we blasted that ludicrous summary as did many others that we still weren't able to see what is really going on? If he ran a business like he has run our government he would have been fired a long time ago.