For months now Mayor Abramson has been avoiding a tipline to help aid against fraud, waste, abuse, corruption, and just about anything else. The Metro Council has not been forceful in trying to help attain this goal.
That goal has now been attained by a group of people belonging to STOP I.T. (Stop Invisible Taxes). President Ray Pierce has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday at 10 am at 527 W. Jefferson Street (the Old Courthouse) to announce a privately funded independent tipline.
I have worked with STOP I.T. for some time now on some projects and I am happy to say thanks to Ray Pierce, and Operations Manager Paul Holliger, the tipline is now operational effective immediately following the press conference.
The number to call is (502)410-1009.
Many folks have been concerned about government accountability and many more have been worried that a tipline run by the Metro Government would not be anonymous or confidential. Personally I agree with the concerns of these folks. That is why it is important to have an independent tipline that can help them achieve the transparency we all need and have asked for.
Here is a copy of the official release:
TO: News & Assignment Editors and Reporters, & other stakeholders in Louisville
FROM: STOP I.T. (STOP Invisible Taxes)
EVENT: Press conference for STOP I.T.'s announcement of Independent Tip Line for monitoring Louisville Government.
DATE: Wednesday June 10, 2009 - 10 AM
LOCATION: Old Jefferson County Courthouse steps, 527 W. Jefferson St., Louisville, Ky. 40202
SUBJECT: STOP I.T. is funding and currently operating an Independent Tipline/Hotline for monitoring Louisville Government. This tipline will allow Louisville government employees and contractors an alternative to the proposed tipline that will be operated and monitored by the City of Louisville.
National studies have indicated that a city-run tipline is the least likely source a government employee will use to report fraud, waste, and abuse. Any instance of fraud, waste, or abuse of the system costs all citizens and STOP I.T. wants our local government cleaned up.
Ray Pierce
President - STOP I.T. (Stop Invisible Taxes)
(502) 937-0584
Paul Holliger
Operations Manager - STOP I.T.
(502) 366-9897
Remember, the number to call for anonymous complaints is (502)410-1009.
Help make a difference by making a note of the number and use it.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
4 comments:
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Ed Springston
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"The Metro Council has not been forceful in trying to help attain this goal"
ReplyDeleteSorry Ed, but this is just a factually incorrect statement. The Metro Council recently passed a tip line ordinance 2 months ago that will be implemented in the fall. A lot of research went into putting the tipline together and despite efforts from the Mayor to prevent it, it sailed through with flying colors. You may have a disdain for Council members and they've certainly screwed up over the years, but you are flat wrong on this one and need to retract the statement.
Thanks for the feedback. While I know they passed an ordinance a couple of months ago they still do not have it operational and it is at a greater cost than other similar tiplines. Other Cities using a tipline do it a cost of less than $12,000 annually. San Diego in fact has a population of more than 51% larger than ours and do it for $12,000.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it costing us $25K to start and $20K a year thereafter?
I stand by my statement that they have not been forceful in obtaining this tipline. You can read why I feel that way here:
http://www.leoweekly.com/news/ethics-dilemma
Excellent story by LEO detailing how the tipline has languished in the Mayor's office for 4 years. The Council had plenty of time to address this issue over the last 4 years in the same manner they are now attempting to do.
Of course I, and many others, believe the tipline used by Metro will result in retaliation against those who use it.
In fact studies show that 27% of people who use a government run tipline suffer retaliation of some sort. In fact only 6% of the people actually use it because the ones that do not are scared to. So much for anonymity.
Personally, I know the 311 system is supposedly anonymous but it truly is not.
It can be used against you in many ways and adds to the suspicion, since it has been abused by some Councilmen right Henderson?for their own interests, that anonymity will not happen.
Also on an aside, remember the Bob Henderson ethics case that sat for over 2 years in the ethics committee and finally was discarded by Rick Blackwell who did absolutely no research whatsoever? Essentially he "trusted" that Bob did nothing wrong.
That is yet one more reason I do not trust the fox to watch the henhouse.
Thanks again for the comments I sincerely appreciate it.
Ed
Today's date: June 11, 2009
ReplyDeleteDate of FINAL approval of Metro Council's Ethics tip line: May 14, 2009
Or, less than 1 month ago!
Mr. Anonymous above is flat WRONG on his declaration of "2 months ago".
Perhaps it is HE that needs to retract his errorneous statement.
BTW ... here's a link to the Metro Council's Minutes for May 14, 2009 that proves that fact.
AND, to add INSULT to INJURY,
the Metro Council's Ethics Tip Line may not be operational until NOV. 2009!
Source: Private group sets up government tip line - The Courier-Journal, para. 10, quote by the city auditor.
Also, on the HENDERSON ETHICS complaint ...
Sarah Lynn Cunningham filed it in late 2004.
She filed it with the all-Abramson appointed Metro Ethics Commission
It sat there with NO ACTION TAKEN for more nearly 3.5 years.
And finally in 2008, Abramson's appointees DISMISSED it, just in time for HENDERSON's re-election campaign.
(see KY COURTS
This town's government IS corrupt.
The only question is to what degree!
I don't think we should pre-judge Metro's tip line before it is even implemented. We should actually wish and work for its success. While I understand the assuming of the worst with respect to the current mayor, I would rather see how things actually turn out.
ReplyDeleteAs for the new citizen-initiated tips line, I am unsure of its ultimate necessity (given the Metro tips line coming online within months), but I am elated to see such activism and would like to see more of this coming from Louisvillians, who quite frankly tend to be rather apathetic about local politics.