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Local News

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

State auditor surprised by amount of corruption
Oiler's Lube Express - Findlay
By JORDAN CRAVENS

staff writer

It is taxpayers who foot the bill for white-collar crimes and fraud in government, according to Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor.

Taylor, the first certified public accountant to hold the auditor post, told the Findlay Rotary Club on Monday if such crimes aren't uncovered, "the potential cost for Ohioans is enormous."

"I knew coming into office that there would be accounting errors and miscalculations" by the government agencies audited by her office, she said. "What I didn't expect to find was this number of fraud and white-collar crimes."

To date, her office has helped prosecute and convict 48 criminals for such offenses, she said.

Taylor is in the running for lieutenant governor on the same Republican ticket as gubernatorial candidate John Kasich, but she did not address her run for the post Monday.

Since she took office as state auditor in 2007, audits have identified more than $30 million in misused or stolen public funds.

Citizens and co-workers have been integral in helping her office serve as a watchdog over government finances, she said.

A fraud hotline, launched when she came into office, has allowed citizens and co-workers to report potential offenses. More than 1,300 tips have been called in to the hotline, she said.

The Summit County resident told the gathering that while businesses have evolved greatly in terms of technology, government has been slow to change.

"Far too often, state and local governments operate like it's in the 1960s," she said.

When she came into office, she launched an initiative to use technology to make government more accountable, efficient and transparent.

"I was determined to be a 21st century auditor using 21st century technology," Taylor said.

She said she modernized her office, making audit reports available online, for example, and also changed the way government entities conduct their audit reporting.

Reports are now paperless and are processed through e-mail and the Internet, which has saved taxpayers an estimated $80,000 in postage, handling and printing costs in its startup year, she said.

Performance audits, which seek to increase efficiency of government, have saved millions in tax dollars, Taylor said.

So far in her term, she has conducted 87 performance audits and has made 2,800 recommendations to cut costs and streamline efforts, she said.

Cravens: 419-427-8422,

Send an e-mail to Jordan Cravens


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6 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
Auditor wrote:
Correction of name
“ The Auditor of State in question was Jim Petro, not Gary. ”
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 12:28:17 AM
Auditor wrote:
Giving credit where credit is due.
“ Auditor of State Taylor should, at the very least, tip her hat to Gary Petro for starting the online availability of governmental audit reports. Otherwise, this looks like shes taking credit for something she inherited. Ive submitted electronic audit reports to the State of Ohio since 2003, four years before she took office. ”
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 3:08:12 PM
Quickledo wrote:
government fiscal responsibility = oxymoron
“ "The Summit County resident told the gathering that while businesses have evolved greatly in terms of technology, government has been slow to change.

"Far too often, state and local governments operate like it's in the 1960s," she said."



Just another example how government hasn't been responsible, fiscally. It's always someone else's money, and to the bureaucrat it's antithetical to be fiscally responsible -- their job might be eliminated.

If the bureaucrat is fiscally responsible, the taxpayer might just give them less money to waste, instead of more. ”
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 1:56:08 PM
DAVID SWEENEY wrote:
VISIT TO FINDLAY
“ THANK YOU : WHAT MORE CAN BE SAID. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE ADDRESSED IS WHY AREN'T THE PEOPLE THAT OHIOAN'S SENT TO COLUMBUS DOING ANYTHING TO HELP, OR ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM ?? I HAVE NEVER ME YOU BUT ONE THING FOR SURE WHEN YOU FIND SOMEONE HONEST I WAS TAUGHT TO BACK THEM TO THE END. I WISE THESE CRIMES WERE PUT OUT ON THE NEWS MEDIA SO ALL COULD SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OR MAYBE I JUST OVER LOOKED THEM. GREAT WORK, AND KEEP IT UP, TO ME YOU SOUND LIKE A PERSON WHO I WOULD WHAT IN THERE THANKS AGAIN FROM LITTLE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AND OTHERS ”
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 10:34:18 AM
Walt Crum wrote:
Corruption is everywhere it seems.
“ Good for her. We need her in the government to uncover the biggies there. Wayne Crum ”
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 7:41:54 AM
j wrote:
When
“ When was the last performance audit done of Findlay? How do we get a copy of it. If none has been done in the last 10 years, why not?
'Performance audits, which seek to increase efficiency of government, have saved millions in tax dollars, Taylor said.' Findlay could really use this.

”
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 3:41:39 AM
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Benton Ridge Shooting

This video, released by the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office, shows the shooting of a Lima man who led authorities on a three-county chase ending Aug.24 in Benton Ridge. Be cautioned, the video contains graphic content.
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Fornes Brake Service
News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

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Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.