[newzjunkey]

Corruption. The city manager, the city council, the now ex-mayor even going back one administration became the pawns of the municipal unions. They deliberately underfunded the some of which benefited themselves. You could buy years of service to go towards your retirement. The more denials and cover-ups that came, the deeper trouble became. And to add on, multiple scandals exploded including a strip club bribery scheme which netted three city councilmen: one died before trial, two convicted with one having his verdict set aside by the judge.

[Amerigomag]

Corruption

The time honored role of a free press is to expose corruption in government. Where was the local press during this episode which apparently took years to mature and ripen?

Was the mayor's revelation today of an almost total loss of accountability in municipal management the first instance the citizenship heard about it in the press?. Not the financial mismanagement but the municipal asset blindness. Apparently city hall doesn't even know how many adding machines they own or have leased, let alone street sweepers or fire trucks or employees.