More Dirt on Sanitation

Another article blasting the sanitation district that covers my neighborhood, which I already posted about here. This one's in the NY Times.
It is even more critical, pointing out that the district's treasurer, who is supposedly employed full-time by the district, worked three other jobs simultaneously.
This is one of the most egregious findings released by Howard Weitzman, the Nassau County Comptroller, as detailed in the article:

But perhaps most indicative of an agency with little regard for proper procedures and accountable operations,...was that the district's treasurer, Salvatore Evola, held three other public-sector jobs and recorded 733.42 workdays with the state retirement system in 2004, all while running a private tax-consulting business.

[Wetizman] said there was a potential conflict between two of Mr. Evola's roles, because the sanitary district disposes of Cedarhurst's trash and bills the village, meaning that Mr. Evola was responsible for receiving checks that he had signed.

Part of the reason this might cause ripples in the communities serviced by this sanitation district is that these communities are already grousing about paying high taxes.

Mr. Weitzman has urged the state comptroller and the Nassau County district attorney to conduct their own investigations.

It was no coincidence, he said, that of the districts audits so far, Sanitary District No. 1 cost taxpayers the most. The district spent an average of $873 a year for each property served in 2003 and 2004, compared with $656 for the Syosset Sanitary District and less that $400 in four others with comparable service.

"The price of having no controls is the hidden tax that charges homeowners three times what people in other parts of the country are paying for the same service," Mr. Weitzman said. "It's outrageous, and it needs to be examined under a microscope."

Looking forward to that.