Hundreds of Thousands of $$$ Stolen From City Hall Cash Register

[Motor City Sam]

This situation is a prime example of why people were calling for a forensic audit of City of Detroit operations when Bing took over. Given the obvious waste and apparent corruption of the Kilpatrick administration it seemed like a good first step on getting on top of things. Such an audit would have found problems like this, as well as the 100K that was discovered to be missing from one of the City airport accounts.

The City has systematic problems and a crippling lack of revenue, but using some basic accounting and common sense practices would go a long way towards getting things on the right path.

[poobert]

This situation is a prime example of why people were calling for a forensic audit of City of Detroit operations when Bing took over. Given the obvious waste and apparent corruption of the Kilpatrick administration it seemed like a good first step on getting on top of things. Such an audit would have found problems like this, as well as the 100K that was discovered to be missing from one of the City airport accounts.

The City has systematic problems and a crippling lack of revenue, but using some basic accounting and common sense practices would go a long way towards getting things on the right path.

This is my big issue when people say that at least Bing isn't corrupt. Not personally, but he has done nothing - even these common sense steps -to stem the corruption that swirls around him. This time in the very building where he works, no less.

[Motor City Sam]

This is my big issue when people say that at least Bing isn't corrupt. Not personally, but he has done nothing - even these common sense steps -to stem the corruption that swirls around him. This time in the very building where he works, no less.

I agree 100%. I have made that same argument myself.

[Wesley Mouch]

This situation is a prime example of why people were calling for a forensic audit of City of Detroit operations when Bing took over. Given the obvious waste and apparent corruption of the Kilpatrick administration it seemed like a good first step on getting on top of things. Such an audit would have found problems like this, as well as the 100K that was discovered to be missing from one of the City airport accounts.

The City has systematic problems and a crippling lack of revenue, but using some basic accounting and common sense practices would go a long way towards getting things on the right path.

I liked Coleman in many ways, but what he didn't get is that the actual running of a functional city is a difficult thing. He assumed that he could turn everything into a patronage machine, and that things would still work. In the end, he destroyed the efficient bureaucracy that was Detroit, and created a city where actually running things right wasn't so important. It was who you were, not what you could do. The city is still paying the price, and will for years to come.

I realize many hate Bing, and want to blame him. OK, go ahead if it feels good. But the problems are much deeper. Its unreasonable to expect that Bing would have been able to detect this theft -- when no one else in the city noticed for THREE YEARS!

mwilbert is quite right. This mostly tells us just how bad the city's bureaucracy has rotted. Little about Bing. [[But go ahead, scream and shoot the latest guy in the job. It'll feel good.)

[Richard]

I realize many hate Bing, and want to blame him. OK, go ahead if it feels good. But the problems are much deeper. Its unreasonable to expect that Bing would have been able to detect this theft -- when no one else in the city noticed for THREE YEARS!

Meaning no disrespect towards you but the bottom line is above anything else Mr. Bing was a business man and in business you want to know exactly where every penny comes and goes because as a business person if you do not the end result is no more business.Forget about everything else that part should have been second nature.

[Honky Tonk]

Meaning no disrespect towards you but the bottom line is above anything else Mr. Bing was a business man and in business you want to know exactly where every penny comes and goes because as a business person if you do not the end result is no more business.Forget about everything else that part should have been second nature.

I totally agree with you, BUT, as we witnessed with Obama and the Health Care Reform, [[it's just an example, no rock throwing PLEASE), you have to get everyone onboard to be able to carry out your ideas. I think Bing means well, but is finding out a lot of his constituents don't see things his way. Why would I subject myself to a by-yearly audit when I'm scamming a couple of hundred dollars a weak? He seems to be having a difficult time bringing a more business-like, accountable atmosphere to the City government.

[Richard]

I totally agree with you, BUT, as we witnessed with Obama and the Health Care Reform, [[it's just an example, no rock throwing PLEASE), you have to get everyone onboard to be able to carry out your ideas. I think Bing means well, but is finding out a lot of his constituents don't see things his way. Why would I subject myself to a by-yearly audit when I'm scamming a couple of hundred dollars a weak? He seems to be having a difficult time bringing a more business-like, accountable atmosphere to the City government.

I think a lot of the problem stems from when you have a mayor and a city council in order to work together there has to be a give and take situation,the mayor asks for something that the city council does not agree with but passes because they have something on their agenda that needs the mayors approval it is a give and take situation. In this case it seems as though it has become a this is want I want point blank and no give and take.To many egos?

I am in business and I court politicians because it is what they do,because I may play some politics in business that would not make me a good politician outside of business.

The 300k is a drop in the bucket was responding to what somebody else posted without the quote.

It is a drop in the bucket and when you start removing all of the drops you cannot fill the bucket.

I agree there are a lot of things that those funds are a part of,and probably just a taste of what is happening.

How many street lights could a man and a bucket truck subcontracted out could be fixed with $310,000? probably a lot.

Even if you allotted $1000 per light you see that you do not have a street light problem,but yet you are told and you know you have a street light problem,the biggest problem is figuring out how to stop the problems at the top,because that is where it all starts and to tell those that the lights are not working because of a lack of funds is a sidestep and smoke screen.

A all out no holds barred do what it takes audit has nothing to do with politics and if it does step aside and take yourself out of the fire.

I wonder if for instance the Governor could "borrow" an auditor from every other city in the state and assign how many it takes per department to resolve this in 30 days,because the time to acquire more funds to meet daily costs are close and it is still the same situation as the last time.

[Motor City Sam]

I liked Coleman in many ways, but what he didn't get is that the actual running of a functional city is a difficult thing. He assumed that he could turn everything into a patronage machine, and that things would still work. In the end, he destroyed the efficient bureaucracy that was Detroit, and created a city where actually running things right wasn't so important. It was who you were, not what you could do. The city is still paying the price, and will for years to come.

I realize many hate Bing, and want to blame him. OK, go ahead if it feels good. But the problems are much deeper. Its unreasonable to expect that Bing would have been able to detect this theft -- when no one else in the city noticed for THREE YEARS!

mwilbert is quite right. This mostly tells us just how bad the city's bureaucracy has rotted. Little about Bing. [[But go ahead, scream and shoot the latest guy in the job. It'll feel good.)

So, instead of blaming the guy in office now, you want to blame the guy who left office almost twenty years ago. Okay.

I don't criticize Bing because it feels good. Believe me, it doesn't. I'd much rather be able to say my concerns about him were unfounded and that I am enjoying seeing improvements in Detroit since he became Mayor. Unfortunately, that is not the case. He is either uninterested in making a serious attempt to fix things, or he is incompetent. Nothing in this City has improved since he took over.

No one expected him to be able to fix everything after a few years on the job. What most hoped for was a little of that "business acumen" that we were told would have a positive impact on Detroit. The fact that he retained most of KK's appointees and made no effort to root out this kind of waste and theft ENSURES that the missing 300K would go undetected.

There is plenty about Coleman Young that I did not like, but it makes no sense to give Bing a pass because of stuff Coleman did. Particularly when we saw improvements in the City operations under Archer.

But, hey, if you want to beat that "It's Coleman's fault" dead horse over and over, go ahead. It will feel good.

[Wesley Mouch]

So, instead of blaming the guy in office now, you want to blame the guy who left office almost twenty years ago. Okay.

...

But, hey, if you want to beat that "It's Coleman's fault" dead horse over and over, go ahead. It will feel good.

Ouch. That hurt. I sure didn't mean to excuse Bing and blame Coleman.

I don't think it was Coleman's fault. And I don't think its Bing's fault. Its the fault of years of bad decisions. In the past, when Joe Harris as auditor pointed out that Detroit's accounting procedures were woefully inadequate -- he was chased out of town. We hire a DPS emergency financial manager, and we can't wait to kick him out. The state wants to help. And we find a thousand absurd reasons like 'home rule' to fight it every step of the way.

The result of chasing away financial reform, is not financial reform.

Any decent audit procedure would have discovered this. But we preferred to chase away help. We got what we deserved.

So perhaps its time to welcome a strong auditor. Put out welcome mats. Policy statements from leaders that this kind of theft will be prosecuted. The only place I've heard that so far was from DPS emergency managers who have clearly said they will prosecute. And did. Bravo.

[Motor City Sam]

Ouch. That hurt. I sure didn't mean to excuse Bing and blame Coleman.

I don't think it was Coleman's fault. And I don't think its Bing's fault. Its the fault of years of bad decisions. In the past, when Joe Harris as auditor pointed out that Detroit's accounting procedures were woefully inadequate -- he was chased out of town. We hire a DPS emergency financial manager, and we can't wait to kick him out. The state wants to help. And we find a thousand absurd reasons like 'home rule' to fight it every step of the way.

The result of chasing away financial reform, is not financial reform.

Any decent audit procedure would have discovered this. But we preferred to chase away help. We got what we deserved.

So perhaps its time to welcome a strong auditor. Put out welcome mats. Policy statements from leaders that this kind of theft will be prosecuted. The only place I've heard that so far was from DPS emergency managers who have clearly said they will prosecute. And did. Bravo.

I agree with this. I would welcome such an auditor and prosecution of anyone found to be breaking the law and termination of those found to be breaking the rules. I wasn't a fan of everything Robert Bobb did, but I applauded his move of placing an ex -FBI guy in charge of rooting out corruption. I loved his idea of having people come pick up their checks in person to eliminate the "ghost employees". I wish the City had put those same things in place.

[Detwa]

I agree with this. I would welcome such an auditor and prosecution of anyone found to be breaking the law and termination of those found to be breaking the rules. I wasn't a fan of everything Robert Bobb did, but I applauded his move of placing an ex -FBI guy in charge of rooting out corruption. I loved his idea of having people come pick up their checks in person to eliminate the "ghost employees". I wish the City had put those same things in place.

That was pretty brilliant actually! The city and the schools need to do this at least once a year, on a surprise day - can't give advance notice or people will have time to grab fake documents. With direct deposit, any number of people can get away with a scam like this for a very long time.