LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Saturday, June 9, 2012 10:27 am

Your May 30th article on the two proposed county budgets presented tax payers with a difficult choice. I want to offer an observation and a suggestion. We also have an opportunity to save tax dollars.

First, over the last year we have had a $14,000.00 example of the shortcomings of the county's current financial processes. That loss of our dollars occurred in large part because of the county's antiquated financial procedures.

Late last year the Comptroller's Office, Division of County Audit, audited all the county's financial procedures. As a result our commissioners were presented with a lengthy report that described several very serious problems (called 'findings'). In particular the total lack of centralized accounting procedures and the poor internal controls were cited as serious problems that wasted taxpayer dollars. The comptroller's audit report also offered recommendations for correcting each of these findings (problems).

In particular the report focused on their recommendations describing centralized accounting. The recommendations described how the county could implement centralized accounting and improve internal controls. It is, I believe, irresponsible and poor politics for our elected commissioners to propose raising property taxes while continuing to support the use of our antiquated financial processes.

Further, if county employees want raises they should work tirelessly to insure that our tax dollars are spent in accordance with effective financial accounting procedures.

John A. Hackett
Readyville