The Politically Correct Term for Grand Theft

By: Geoffrey Wilson | Original Article at recordgazette.net

The result of the much anticipated State Controller’s audit of the City of Beaumont concluded that there were “widespread deficiencies” in accounting procedures and that $625 million of bond debt issued may not have been used for it’s intended purposes! Amazing, brilliant, insightful nonsense and the consequence for these “deficiencies”….well, nothing, except the residents are stuck with the crumbling roads, lack of fire stations, no recycled water and the disputed Mello-Roos taxes.

However there is always a silver lining as noted by Betty Yee, State Controller, the city leaders now “recognize the need to implement major improvements.”

No kidding!

At one City Council meeting this summer, Onyx Jones,who was brought in to sort out the mess left by Alan Kapanicas and his Urban Logic buddies, explained that a safe containing “petty cash” at City Hall had a combination known to one person only, no prizes for guessing,and there was absolutely no paperwork to itemize the use of these funds and again, no consequences for misuse!
As we know the FBI is stretched and lacking one thousand agents according to its Director but how about the Riverside County D.A.s office stepping it up and imposing some consequences on those who have robbed Beaumont?

On a related subject, employees of Pardee Homes want to build more at all cost, regardless of lack of drinking water and the previously mentioned non existent infrastructure.
One is quoted as liking the “small town feeling” here and another assures us that Retailers will be attracted by growth, but in my five plus years in Beaumont so far we have added three Dollar stores and a couple of fast food places not Costco or Trader Joe’s as promised by our salesperson.

Perhaps those companies were put off by the “widespread deficiencies” or whatever the politically correct term is for grand theft!
Geoffrey Wilson, Beaumont