When Governor Deval Patrick (D-Mass.) campaigned for the office, he pledged to change Beacon Hill’s “politics as usual.” Unfortunately for the taxpayers of Massachusetts, his three month term has been anything but.
Tis the Season for Government Negligence
December 1, 2006
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When the government tries to play Santa Claus, bad things happen. The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) allows certain charitable organizations exclusive access to federal workplaces to solicit contributions from employees. The contributions can be made by cash or check or deducted from the employees’ paychecks. In 2005, federal workers gave more than $260 million to more than 20,000 charities. However, a large sum of that money goes to tax delinquent charities, also known as tax cheats.
Bioterrorism Spending
December 1, 2006
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After the 9/11 attacks and the deaths of five people exposed to anthrax spores sent through the mail in 2001, the federal government began pouring billions of dollars into biodefense research and development. However, throwing money at a problem does not guarantee a solution; there must be proper follow-through and oversight to make sure the money is spent wisely.
Abstinence of Logic
December 1, 2006
Sean Kennedy
Abstinence education is not just for teenagers anymore.
In a strange shift in guidelines for grant awards, the government’s official message of no sex prior to marriage will be directed at single individuals up to 29 years old. Hypothetically, this means a recently divorced man or woman weeks shy of their 30th birthday is now a target for taxpayer-funded, abstinence-only education. This will be official policy starting in fiscal year 2007.
Like Father… Like Son?
November 1, 2006
Elizabeth Wright
For the past six years, Sen. Ted Stevens’ (R-Alaska) has put Alaska at the top of CAGW’s pork per capita list. In 2006 alone, he secured a whopping $325 million in pork, or $489 per Alaskan resident. Recent news reports show that his son, Ben Stevens, is trying to follow in his daddy’s profligate footsteps.
FEMA and Trading Spaces
November 1, 2006
Sean Kennedy
When a participant goes on the popular Learning Channel show Trading Spaces, they have two days to redesign a room in the home of a friend or family member. They must remain under budget throughout the process. Conversely, when FEMA decides to remodel, it tends to extend projects indefinitely and ignore budget limitations. Nonetheless, fans of the home improvement show might still enjoy FEMA’s project along the Gulf Coast.
Bridge to Nowhere Update
November 1, 2006
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Even though the Bridge to Nowhere has gone nowhere fast since Congress stripped it of its federal earmark, outgoing Governor Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) is still trying to keep the project alive.
The Rail Subsidy That Could
October 1, 2006
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Parents and children alike are familiar with the story, “The Little Engine That Could.” Through perseverance and sheer determination, a small train engine pulled a train over a steep mountain even with the odds stacked against it and when other train engines didn’t think it possible. It appears that Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) is twisting the lessons of that book into a rail subsidy that could be the biggest taxpayer rip-off ever. He helped to secure a $2.3 billion loan from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to expand and improve the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad (DM&E), which is used primarily to transport coal from Wyoming to Minnesota.
Newark Mayor Takes Taxpayers for a Ride
October 1, 2006
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With a salary of $186,000, one would think that the mayor of Newark would have no need for taxpayers to pay for his vacations. Think again. Even though former mayor Sharpe James had an annual travel expense budget of $25,000, he is currently under investigation for adding $150,000 for numerous expenses and exotic vacations. The globe-trotting has been chronicled by The Star-Ledger of Newark.
Legal Services Nonprofit Wastes Tax Dollars
October 1, 2006
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Free legal help is getting more expensive for taxpayers and much of the money is going to waste.
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which received $330.8 million in fiscal 2006, distributes money to 138 local nonprofit legal aid organizations across the country to help provide free legal services for the indigent. However, the Associated Press reported in September that audits from the group’s internal inspector general, “Kirt” West, identified questionable spending practices among LSC board members.