Sunday Open Thread [8.18.13]
Woodlawn Trustees is ready to move out on its plan to raze and the reconstruct its buildings in Wilmington’s Flats area. This promises to be a very good thing for the city, especially the West Side which has put alot of elbow grease into long-term revitalization. Also note that the $100M project to reconstruct these buildings will still serve moderate income families, putting to bed the crazy whispered story about luxury housing going in over there.
The funding crisis at Philadelphia schools is starting to drive families from the city. As I read this, you could see how one of Wilmington’s long term problems started years ago — parents will choose to live in places where they can educate their children. You can have all of the business development and resident amenities in the world, but families live where they have a reasonable expectation of educating their kids. The real shame of it is that Philadelphia (while not a utopia) has done yeoman’s work in making that city a more livable place. But now it seems that all of that work may go to waste if families who can leave do so.
Trouble in the Treasurer’s office — the Deputy Treasurer has had some long-standing issues in using her state-issued credit card properly:
A separate state review of Benner’s charges, conducted internally at the treasurer’s office, found more than $2,300 in personal charges dating to October 2011, when Benner used her card to buy the Patriots tickets. Benner made 21 inappropriate personal charges on her state-issued JPMorgan Chase card over a 16-month period ending in February, according to documents obtained by The News Journal. She reimbursed the state for the charges, records show.
It’s not alot of money, but it sure is alot of incidences. I’ve had a Corporate Credit card for two decades and made two mistaken personal charges on it. Still, it doesn’t look good that the Finance Department tried to engage someone over at Treasury about this pattern and couldn’t get any attention until this spring. It also doesn’t look good that there are multiple explanations of why the pattern persisted. I guess we’ll know more of the story when whatever punishment is dealt with, but this looks like an official who thought the rules would always bend for her. And that kind of employee probably needs to be replaced.
Fantastic infographic detailing Americans’ attitudes towards marijuana:
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Well, that doesn’t say much for Chip’s ability to monitor money …
State employees should expect a lot more scrutiny now about CC use. Look for a NJ “investigation” soon.
Perhaps she was the one responsible for reviewing credit card statements in the office, she is/was the Deputy and it wouldn’t be unusual that a person at that level would have that responsibility in the office. It sounds like the Finance office contacted Chip directly after the infraction occurred multiple times. Sounds Iike once the finance office consulted Chip and he did a deeper review, she got sick and decided to get some sort of treatment. Not right at all, I’m not wishing her ill, hope she gets better from her addiction, but she has no business in that position.
She shouldn’t be reviewing or approving the expenses of her own card — or any of her own expenses. That’s pretty basic at any level.
Someone at that level is never the sole reviewer of expenditures. Either way, the fact that Chip didn’t call her on her statements – it was either her ex or her medical condition, can’t blame both – speaks volumes about *his* judgment, too.
Buying Patriots tickets was a serious lapse in judgement. the patriots…? c’mon.