#1 - I feel EXTREMELY ticked off. I want to see the book thrown at the embezzling loser and his brother. And I'm sorry, but blaming his "alcohol and crack cocaine habit" doesn't mean his actions are excusable nor forgivable. (The original article in the Buffalo Snooze made it sound like it was ok, because he had a problem...) He and his brother should be made examples of, theft from the public should be dealt with in the strictest way possible. Maybe send the loser to alcohol and drug treatment, but then lock both of them up. And then fire the entire management team that was so lax in their oversight that this was allowed to happen for years. Management is just as responsible as the perpetrators, in my opinion.How does everyone feel about this?
Let me repeat that for effect - MANAGEMENT IS JUST AS RESPONSIBLE AS THE PERPETRATORS IN MY OPINION..
And on this topic, how is it that an employee of the county can have an alcohol and crack problem and still be a county employee? Alcohol is one thing, because it's legal, but how exactly can one be gainfully employed as a public servant and be a crack-head? Let alone a senior auditor?? Does the county not drug test their employees as is common in the private sector? Shouldn't they be tested? Or is that another of the perks the unions skillfully negotiated? Perhaps that's a topic for a separate thread...
#2 - As for the fact that the highest percentage of county money goes to social services, I think this is the root of the problem in this area. Until we stop the influx of those with their hands out, and help those who want to be helped find gainful employment, this area has absolutely no chance of turning around, in my opinion. How to implement this, I do not know, but I do know that we need to get the message out the NY is not the "land of the handout", as it is now.