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Feel-good act just passes blame
(by Dave Lange - May 03, 2012)
COUNTY LINE, BY DAVE LANGE
Feel-good act just passes blame
Michael Spellman, Geraldine Kanieski, Dominic Bisesi and Vincent J. Frustaci have something in common. They're crooks who took money from the public and were sentenced to spend time behind bars. Unlike common and even uncommon thieves who steal money from private entities, though, some members of the public want to blame others for their criminal behavior.
Legislation called the Fiscal Integrity Act now in the Ohio House of Representatives could help pass the blame.
Mr. Spellman, the former elected Chester Township clerk who was convicted of embezzling $4.3 million of taxpayers' money in 2004, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Some people wanted to hold the three elected township trustees accountable as well, suggesting that they should have kept better track of citizens' money.
Mrs. Kanieski, of Auburn, a 30-year employee of the Kenston School District, was convicted of theft in office for stealing $135,000 from the district's treasury in 2010. She was sentenced to two years in prison. Some people wanted the appointed treasurer and school superintendent, as well as the five elected school board members, to face the music as well.
Mr. Bisesi, also an Auburn resident, who was a 22-year employee of the city of Solon, was convicted of theft in office in 2011 for taking approximately $80,000 to steer road-paving contracts that ended up costing the taxpayers $2.4 million in overcharges and substandard work. He was sentenced to 14 days in the Cuyahoga County Jail. That's right, two weeks. The city is still trying to get its money back. Some people wonder who really is responsible, but no one's pointing fingers at elected officials.
Mr. Frustaci, who was the appointed chief deputy treasurer for Stark County, was convicted of embezzling $2.46 million from the taxpayers there in 2010. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Many people wanted to hold his boss, former elected county Treasurer Gary Ziegler, accountable. Stark County Commissioners actually attempted to do that by filing a lawsuit against the treasurer and tossing him out of office, but the Ohio Supreme Court ruled they could not legally do that.
It is the latter that motivated state Rep. Christina Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, the 23-year-old who was appointed to her father's former Ohio House seat in Stark County last year, to sponsor the Fiscal Integrity Act. Referring to Mr. Ziegler, she expressed frustration that there were "no repercussions for the person who's supposed to be giving the proper oversight."
Among other provisions, the legislation would grant county commissioners or county auditors the authority to file lawsuits for the removal of county treasurers for malfeasance, nonfeasance or misfeasance, although citizens already have the power to do that through recall petitions. It would grant similar authority to township trustees over township fiscal officers and to mayors over municipal treasurers.
It's a feel-good measure that just might extend culpability for thievery beyond the thieves themselves. But it won't do anything to prevent crooks like Mr. Spellman, Mrs. Kanieski, Mr. Bisesi and Mr. Frustaci from betraying the public trust.
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