Sometimes asking “What’s going on here?” (repeatedly) can keep a problem in the public eye — when many who should know better would rather sweep it under the rug. In this case, the problem is $1.6 million unaccounted for in recent Penn Forest Township budgets. The Tennessee township’s annual budget is only $4 million or so.
Former supervisor Paul Montemuro is one of those chastising the current board of supervisors. If they’d “just agree to conduct the forensic audit of the couple of years leading up to 2008, I would shut up,” he says. The board approved that audit in 2012 but has not followed through.
Another fellow not shutting up is township auditor Matt Schutter, elected last November as a Libertarian. Throughout 2014 he has demanded that the audit go forward and township spending be fully accounted for, and has also asked the state attorney general to launch an investigation.
Schutter tells Common Sense that despite sundry harassment, he won’t relax the pressure any time soon. “The board in July meeting voted that no one of the public can speak in a supervisors meeting about the money,” Schutter explains. “At the August meeting, I informed them that they were violating the First Amendment.”
He then formally advised the supervisors that he would pursue further legal action (“under 42 USC 1983!,” pertaining to civil action for deprivation of rights) if they continue violating their oaths of office.
Let’s send about 535 guys like this to Congress.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
4 replies on “What’s Going On Here?”
Matters only a little who is sent. Once they realize that the current system is mostly devoid of consequences, ie that there is true corrupting power inherent in the position, the majority will become corrupted.
They will adhere to the party in control which fights to pursue its own interest and to maintain its control.
No Drik, it does not matter “only a little” who serves in a position of power. Power does corrupt, but not automatically. People have alternatives and make choices. Their ideas and level of integrity matter.
Power corrupts automatically and thoroughly. You can probably not count on all you fingers the number of politicians who gave up power voluntarily if you don’t include Lincoln and Washington.
Accountability is no longer a major factor of our political system.
Thanks Paul about nice article about Paul and me One correction Penn Forest Township is in Pennsylvania no Tn.
In Liberty,
Matt Schutter
Chairman of Penn Forest Board of Auditors