New Mexico’s audit crisis and the Dirty 59: “A culture of a lack of accountability”

By   /  May 8, 2013  /  Accountability, Featured, Finances, General Interest, Local Government, National, New Mexico, News, State Government, Wasteful spending  /  No Comments

THE DIRTY 59: The New Mexico auditor's office reports that 59 entities in the state that spend or receive taxpayer money are behind on filing their audits.

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – By law, every organization in New Mexico that receives or spends public funds has to turn in an audit each year.
“If a government is going to spend taxpayer money they should be able to account and submit a full accounting of those activities every year,” State Auditor [...]

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Kansas pension blunder nears $300,000 in cost to taxpayers

By   /  April 25, 2013  /  Featured, General Interest, Kansas, News, Pensions, public sector  /  2 Comments

cash money

The Kansas Public Employee Retirement System wrongly awarded nearly $300,000 in the past six years – and that’s just the start.

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Critics say CO’s $1 billion School Finance Act makes few improvements

By   /  April 22, 2013  /  Colorado, General Interest, Legislature, Local Government, school choice, Taxes, Uncategorized  /  No Comments

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By Calvin Thompson | Colorado Watchdog
DENVER — Democratic lawmakers want to increase public school funding by $1 billion, but critics say throwing money at schools won’t make them any better.
The 184-page behemoth known as Senate Bill 213, or the new School Finance Act, promises to be one of the most comprehensive changes in the history of the Colorado education system. Sponsored by Senators Mike Johnston and Rollie Heath, the plan calls for extra school spending of as much as $1.16 billion, or about $1,000 extra per student.

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Colorado dog owners say ‘no’ to puppycide

By   /  April 9, 2013  /  City Government, Colorado, Featured, General Interest, law enforcement, News  /  1 Comment

NO PAPERS: Vets in Wisconsin are required to collect personal data from patients to comply with a prescription drug law. These guys, however, don't have ID cards. (AP photo)

hloe was a mixed-breed dog staying with a friend of her owner in Commerce City when she got out of a garage, where she was being kept. In November, police found her roaming the street, where she had been for a few hours. They captured her with a snare pole, electrocuted her with a taser and shot her five times.

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Is Ohio’s job growth real or a mirage?

By   /  March 1, 2013  /  economic development, Economy, Featured, General Interest, News, Ohio  /  No Comments

joel-kotkin-2011-web

By Jon Cassidy | Watchdog.org
COLUMBUS — Is Ohio’s steady job growth over the past four years something real and sustainable, the product of solid economic fundamentals?
Or is it ephemeral, a temporary rebound from hitting bottom after three years of freefall?
A new study published this week by the free-market Manhattan Institute offers hope, but it’s conditional.
Author [...]

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