http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/june/corruption_063011/corruption_063011
Interesting article about how the main focus of the FBI has become fighting corruption on all levels, federal state and local. They feel that this type of corruption hurts the average person, the taxpayer the most.
39 comments:
seriously..a three year old article??? why not work for the betterment and asked where you and the enemy can meet and stop all this negative....just like Kristy tried years ago, there is no smoking gun!
10:18 PM
If you had taken the time to be thorough and clicked on the links to the right, you would have seen recent convictions of the listed crimes.
It sounds like you want us to sweep it under the rug before the investigation is complete. When it is and they tell us everything is peaches and cream, I will gladly work toward better attitudes but some of it has to come from the elected officials and they are the ones that need to extend their hand to all the citizens of this city and so far I have see absolutely no signs of that. In fact the last council mtg told me just the opposite.
10:18 You have no idea what Kristy uncovered. None.
You can accuse here of many things, but not being thorough and detailed in investigation is not one of them.
Where there is smoke there is fire.
One of the saddest things about flatly dismissing paranoid conspiracy theories is that when true things come to light, no one listens. But sometimes, you just need to find the right person to tell.
We do things our own way in Peru and really don't like people from the outside looking in. The way we do things works! That is all that counts.
It works well for Chamlin and Test and those others that are well connected- that's for sure. If if your looking for transparency which is a tool that keeps things honest, then it does not work so well.
@6:40 am. I believe telling the FBI is telling the right people. I can't wait til they check into the council continually giving no bid contracts.
1:07 No bid contracts are not against the law, when awarded by super majority, or below dollar limits.
Just because you do not like people does not mean that Daddy FBI is gonna come hurt them. You have to have actual evidence.
2:40 PM
Not against the law but certainly says something about the people who are elected to work for the best interests of the people, the taxpayers, who voted for them. It calls into play honesty and integrity and makes one wonder what goes on behind the scenes that the taxpayer does not know about.
"We do things our own way in Peru and really don't like people from the outside looking in. The way we do things works! That's all that counts." This comment was entered on April 13, 2014 to the blog.
This is a very alarming comment and in itself should be confronted rather than dismissed.
I have heard from several people who are business owners getting IRS AUDITS. And people's personal tax returns audited by the IRS. . I was told that the IRS sends a letter insueing that a audit is going to be happening. I guess the goverment is catching up on business also.
What are the actual red flags that determine who is and who is not going to be audited?
Recently I read that there will not be near the number of audits this year as in the past because of a decrease in manpower.
I believe 2 years ago the IRS hired extra (over 100) employees for auditing purposes only. I read an article in a big city newspaper regarding this. Was reading these blogs and thought I would blog what I read.
The IRS and FBI are not joint task forces. I have long believed that many businesses around here who traffic primarily in cash would be ripe for audit, but that is unrelated to the FBI investigation.
The FBI actually has much stronger financial audit capability and authority than the IRS however. If you bloggers are hinting that you think this investigation will somehow trigger more connected businesses to have IRS audit, you dont need to worry. The FBI will get whatever financial records they need.
Lois. 2 :40 here. I was not saying that the no bid contracts are not horrible practices. I do agree that they are indicative of a very weak, lazy and influenced group of leaders.
I just get tired of bloggers thinking the FBI is going to come in and scold all the bad politicians for going to dinner with contractors and treating certain business favorably. If that was the case they would need a much bigger FBI, because it happens all over.
Dont think any government agency is going to fix what you as voters need to fix. There is no government savior coming to Peru.
2:40 and 10:55
You are incorrect about no-bid contracts because engineering services over $25,000 ARE required to be bid per acceptance of federal grant funds regardless of Peru's assine "super majority" rhetoric.
The problem is the State of Illinois is responsible in many instances for oversight of federal funds to ascertain grant assurances. If these assurances are not enforced by the State why would a contractor or municipality be concerned in following the grant requirements? This is one of the problems in Peru.
11:28 ANON, your completly off the mark on this one. Services are much different than a asphalt pour. Think about it? The State has many,many,many services contracted to do work. Do they bid the services like DCSF,Police, etc? No. Do they bid legal services? No.
If any business received federal grant money through the years, the doors are wide open for an IRS audit. Period.
12:08 I am most definitely NOT wrong.
Item A: sponsor certification for selection of consultants
$25,000 require competative bid
$100,000 actually requires an independent cost analyses
2:16 and all of Peru's are qualified and licensed. Is there any other information you would like to discuss?
Just read in the WSJ this weekend that the IRS has suffered budget cuts like every other part of the government. Actually, they are quasi-government agency... but that is beside the point. The point is, that due to budget cuts and Obamacare requirements to track, the WSJ says less than 1% of returns will be audited unless they can hire more people. Ironically, most of the agents they let go now work for tax lawyers.
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1988/im881013.html
Check this out to see how little you can count on any intervention from higher government on matters of Il municipal bids.
Super majority is not asinine, it's real.
As far as specifids no bids relating to fed grant money let's hear concrete examples.
I am not arguing that the leaders are not asinine, only Saying any blogger is asinine who thinks the feds are going to prosecute or give a rats ass about no bid contracts, unless there is suspicion and proof of actual kickbacks. And for Gods sake stop saying dinners and or golf outings are kick backs. It's business.
Golf outing are kickbacks, who r u kidding not to think so. Been in business many years and I've seen it time and time again!
kickbacks implies illegality. Taking a customer out to dinner or on a golf outing is not illegal. However, Federal Employees cannot accept these gifts. Same goes for State of Illinois employees. I don't think the municipal code talks about this. Also, the ethics rules apply to employees - not necessarily elected officials. That is why contractors are allowed to "donate" to political campaigns.
Bottom line - in my opinion, any social contact between contractors or businesses that do business with the city is not ethical. It is a big problem at the municipal level.
I don't believe anybody who really understands government, especially Peru government, thinks that the FBI is focusing on Peru's infamous "No-Bid Policy". I know I don't. While the Feds are collecting and analyzing records and information in Peru, we really don't know what exactly they are focusing in on. I find it very interesting indeed. One thing I am convinced of is that Peru's elected officials, both past and present, going back at least thru the Baker era has developed an operational strategy of protectionism and cronyism that is in and of itself corrupt. The deliberate act of steering tax dollars to preferred companies and or contractors, local or not is in fact political corruption at its most basic form as far as I'm concerned. Now, is it a crime? It all depends on how it all plays out I suppose. The current group of Peru officials who endorse this unethical behavior are almost unanimous in their numbers becuase it has become the way of life in this town. It's wrong and and it's un-American to manipulate and steer tax money to preferred companies and contractors. It may not be illegal, but it says a lot about Peru's elected officials.
I'm sorry it's just wrong!
7:58 your examples again presumes that something is illegal and inproper.
Has there been any government entity in our area overid a low bid with a Super Majority vote?
Your attitude that the Feds don't care about illegal activities is asine in itself. Laws are Laws and don't believe for one moment that if a governement unit broke a law they would not be held accountable.
All of these projects need to be controlled by the state or federal gov. Local municipalities can't handle it unless the are big like Chicago or Peoria. The less local control small towns have, the better. Can't trust local politicians or small town business men.
7:58 ANON
You again are making assumptions that Federal grants bids are not being done in our community. That is a false statement.
Give us readers one example of a City using Super Majority to over ride a bid. Super Majority was designed to get rid of the contractor who fails to provide the requested results, when in fact they may have the lowest bid. It makes perfect sense and gives the government unit the ability to save the taxpayer from either further cost or poor quality of work.
7:58 here. Did either of you bother to check out the links before "calling me out"
I did not say there were no fed grant bids. I asked for some local examples. Again., no response.
And you can call me asinine for saying the courts are extremely reluctant to challenge a city bid decision. And super majority is in place precisely for cases like the one in Peru, not as you say to kick out bad contractors.
I am not your enemy. But I stand by the fact that no bid contracts are not a primary focus. Kickbacks would be IF they can be proved. And dinners and golf outings, while perhaps inappropriate will not trigger indictments as kickbacks.
Please bother to read the link, and check out the case law before you demand me giving a list of cities using super majority. It's not all that common, but not an evil slight of hand either. It is often used in home rule cities. I am NOT saying its good, or that I approve of our council. I don't. I would support any new candidates proposing a city bid process that is actually stricter than state statutes, and also a no lunch dinner golf outing policy, like many large corporations have done.
I am saying it's up to us to take back our town. Relying on higher fed agencies is a pipe dream. I hope they find something, but am more concerned of the spin if they don't. There is one helluva lot wrong, if not illegal, and they will be walking around like they are supermen if nothing comes from this investigation.
1:51 ANON
Your stating a case that is in Peru? When, in the real time factual world a case DOES NOT exist in Peru.
It has never been reported that Peru has used a Super Majority.
It has never been reported that Peru or any other local city has had a illegal bid practice.
And how can you get a bid practice stricter than the laws state?
You continue to discuss golf outings, lunch. What is this investigation that you know so much about?
We should start a petition drive to be annexed by LaSalle.
@3:29- Peru used a Super Majority for the TEST contract.
3:29 PM
Since you are so particular about the choice of words and don't like the word case, I prefer the word "investigation" which has more meaning to what has been happening in Peru anyway. They are investigating
Just talked to a friend who has a friend who owns a franchise business. Only one employee, meaning the owner. This person has had the business three years. The business received a letter regarding an IRS audit. Business was audited. The business owed the IRS $6,000 dollars. And then another letter arrived and the business owed another $3,000. This is true, so after reading these blogs regarding IRS audits, it is happening contrary to what some people want to believe. Lesson, don't cheat the goverment, it may check up to individuals and businesses.
The IRS is concentrating on businesses. The "less than 1% being audited" comment was for individuals.
3:29 I did not even think you are worth a reply, since I do not think you read very well.
I gave a link to a legal discussion of what municipalities in Illinois should consider when contracting bids.
I never said I knew ANYTHING about the investigation. I said I strongly doubt that bid practices would be high on the FBI investigation.
I never mentioned golf outings being important to any investigation or case.
As far as a municipality establishing a stricter ethical bid requirement that state law, they can do whatever they want that is stricter. They could pass tighter restrictions on gifts, dinners , outings. The city can make stricter ethics laws.
As far as the word Case, I only recommended that people check out the cited " case law" in the link before they start making statements. But why should fact or considered legal opinion get in the way of bloggers like you.
And if you did not know Peru council used super majority, it's obvious you just are one of the blind backers of all things Peru. It was not an illegal use of super majority. It was BS and cowardly, but it was very legal. Test Contract...in the papers?
More like the "1%" are being audited!
More businesses are being audited. With businesses being audited those employees of that business also have a higher chance of being audited if red flags in regards to compensation of employees is in question. Personally I know a business owner whose business got an audit a few years back. The business had seven employees and five of those employees got audited 1-2 years after business was audited. The IRS audited several years of tax returns.
Well I heard from a friend that heard from a guy that was told by the IRS he owed over a grand because his father died at the beginning of the month and they did not report it to Social Security before the next months check came in, and they kept it. The trouble is, his father died in 1986!
The IRS catches up with people who screw the gov so to speak. What's the saying? You play, you pay.
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