“Months before signing legal documents assuring federal officials they could build Norfolk's starter light rail for $232 million, Hampton Roads Transit leaders knew it would actually cost tens of millions of dollars more, a new state investigation reveals.
In fact, HRT senior officials at one time maintained a separate, internal accounting of light-rail costs that was intentionally kept "secret" from government entities footing the bills, documents show. Then bids came in, construction began and costs continued to climb, without notice to many stakeholders, state investigators said. The current price tag: $338 million. HRT's former leader, Michael Townes, was forced to resign earlier this year. Several other HRT employees with the project have left the agency. Light rail's champion on the City Council, W. Randy Wright, was defeated at the polls.”
From the Virgina Pilot.”
The point is that too often prominent citizens, those with money, influence, assumed or alleged expertise are elected or appointed to important commissions, committees, boards, or elected offices and later discovered to have been disingenuous, outright liars, or incompetent. Candidates are usually vetted by each other so there is ample room to believe it was not a thorough investigation. When problems surface it is too late like the example above. It appears, by the numerous firings and resignations over the past years Suffolk has had its share of similar activity. We will allow you, as interested citizens to point out the rights or wrongs where you had no part in decisions.
5 comments:
Could an example be the two men charged with mail fraud and money laundering? Local trusted gentlemen are charged with bilking 80 people of half a million. It will be in the papers soon.
This is one of the most revealing issues to date, that defines the well understood fact that many of our local public officials do manipulate the issues for their own benefit. The compelling fact that defines the intent of those involved, is that they “kept two sets of books”. The only reason one does this, is to present one set of facts publicly while hiding another set of fraudulent facts, from the public view. This issue alone will perk-up the interest of any criminal investigator, and rightfully so...
The bigger issue is that this entire fiasco and others like the SPSA debacle, the hiring of senior officials at huge salaries, the manipulation by officials for paid positions and the manipulation of public projects for personal gain are becoming a real cancer on the public purse. The more telling issue is that this cancer is also corroding the confidence of the people in their elected leaders. The only cure for this terrible disease is the disinfectant of open and public investigation.
Roger A. Leonard
Suffolk…
Truthfully I dont see any difference between Barney Madoff, the congress and these two idiots locally.
How about this? Beach Trolley loses, or is missing $189,000 and attributes it to oversight. But oversight must include state tax evasion, embezzlement,and money laundering because two souls are being held as suspects or interested parties .0 And if that doesn't work then they will try "absolute failure of management."
LETS NOT FORGET EX-DELEGATE PHIL HAMILTON WHO WAS INDITED FOR BRIBERY AND EXTORTION AND FACES UP TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON. OH YES, HE SERVED HIS PEOPLE WELL.
Post a Comment