The head of Indiana's taxing authority tendered his resignation this week after it was discovered that $205 million in
local income tax revenue hadn't been distributed to counties, the second such oversight in months found to have happened
on his watch.
John Eckart, the Department of Revenue's commissioner, will step down at the end of the current tax season after seven
years in charge of the agency, state budget director Adam Horst said at a news conference Thursday. He did not specify when,
exactly, that would be.
Two other top revenue officials, Chief Information Officer Roy D. Gabriel and Chief Financial Officer Darrel Anderson, also
left after the error was discovered, Department of Revenue spokesman Bob Dittmer said.
Horst blamed the problem on a programming error. A similar error caused state budget leaders to lose track of $320 million
in corporate tax collections over four years. That error was discovered in December.
"It's all you can do at this point," Horst said, when asked about restoring public trust in the state's
accounting.
The revenue department says the mishandled money will be distributed with interest to the 91 of Indiana's 92 counties
that have local income taxes. Horst said the state is searching for an outside auditor to review the agency's procedures.
Marion County and the city of Indianapolis said it would receive an additional $41 million from the adjustment. Indianapolis
Mayor Greg Ballard said the funds would be directed toward future budget shortfalls.
Hamilton County will receive $17.3 million in additional distributions, not counting interest, the state said. Hendricks
County will receive nearly $5 million, Boone County will get nearly $4 million; Johnson $3.8 million; Morgan $3.7 million;
Madison more than $3 million; Hancock more than $2 million; and Shelby about $1.1 million.
Indiana's Legislative leaders, Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma and Republican Senate President Pro Tem David Long,
requested a say in who is selected for the audit and demanded that the findings be reported to the Assembly's budget leaders.
Democrats initially requested an independent audit of the Department of Revenue last year after the $320 million error was
discovered, but were rebuffed by promises the administration would conduct its own review.
Horst said he told Gov. Mitch Daniels about the problem Tuesday and alerted legislative leaders about the problem Wednesday.
Daniels left on a private trip to Israel Tuesday and was not immediately available for comment.
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Indiana officials step down after $205M in local taxes mishandled
IBJ Staff and Associated Press
April 5, 2012
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liek the rest of America
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These quaint,obsessed musings by the stalkers are certainly entertaining, but I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, all the yelping below has to do with Zak Brown.
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It's evident that Moffett was pushing the right buttons and corporate America is now trying to squash him. He just wanted to withdraw the free pilot services provided to the company by the pilots to try and put some pressure on a company that has not been interested in negotiating a contract in over 5 years. The company does not provide a contract because not having one has saved them a bundle of money. Shame on any Republic pilots not standing behind their union leader just because things are getting tough, can you not see such strategic moves by the company as putting the last union president in a corporate position and into THEIR pocket. Do you really believe the last union president is so appalled at the attempts by Moffett, do you not remember his oppositions to the company? We stood behind him. It has been proven over and over again for thousands of years without fail, a man cannot serve two masters. Anyone that believes people vote contrary to their paycheck and livelihood deserve to be taken advantage of, the recent statements by the former union president are laughable as he denounces the current union president from his new corporate position. Have you ever seen a drafted sports player score points for his previous team, it cannot be done, he is not on the pilots side anymore, he gets his money a different way now than you and I do, and he should not be allowed to remain on the seniority list. A drafted player brings strength, credibility, tactical knowledge, and a strategic advantage to his NEW team, he would not be drafted or paid were it otherwise. We are all forced to choose only one side to play for and support, not doing so has many references in life such as insider trading and shaving points, all illegal for good reason. This basic fact is why corporate moguls, scientist, and engineers all sign non-discloser agreements and non-compete clauses, as protection in case they are lured into switching sides as our former union president has done. No NFL coach ever drafted a player so that both teams could benefit and better understand each other, they are recruited to win the game against that former team, period. Likewise the company does not recruit the former union president by accident or mutual understanding, its strategy. Don't confuse playing the game with good sportsman-like conduct in support of common business and prosperity goals, with the requirement to only play for one side. Good men we all love and favor fall subject to this manipulation, often without their knowledge, and it is not a betrayal of their friendship to oppose them when they switch sides. If we did not love and trust them, they would not have been chosen and lured to the other side in the first place. The deception by the drafted player is not made at a conscious level, it's just human nature and it's all about money and power which corrupts our ability to be objective and loyal to two masters. This is why our court system created the defense attorney, and why our military created counter intelligence. Its strategy and its propaganda, and it works, and that's why the "powers to be" manipulate the chess pieces by sometimes changing their colors. Some players know they are being manipulated when their color is changed, but it brings them more money and power so they do not care. The rest have good intentions but do not even realize they are being manipulated. This tactic is also known by another name, Divide and Conquer. In battle sending an imperfect message with an imperfect team is obviously not ideal, but it's still being sent by YOUR team, your union leader, a leader that has common goals and common rewards with you, they are the best, because we have elected them to do a job for us. If you are not backing Moffett but believing the spin by those that have recently switched sides, you are taking food out of your own mouth. Showing unity and backing an imperfect situation still results in taking just as much ground, it's about unity and bargaining power. It's not necessary to wait around for that perfect attack because it will never come, the company will spin and attempt to destroy anyone that gets in their way. Ultimately it's not about any specific attack anyway, ASAP or whatever it makes no difference, it is and always has been only about power. If this company cared about safety it would not build pairings with 8 hour overnights, come on, are you that naive? Besides, do you really think Hoffa cares, no, he got a call from corporate America and was squeezed into denouncing Moffett. If he didn't they would spin the safety card against him and the Teamsters National with implication for truckers, future contracts, insurance rates etc...saying something like the Teamsters use safety as a bargaining chip, blah blah blah... Do you really think any pilot is going to do something unsafe for the contract, absolutely not, the only ones threatening safety here is the company with reduced rest, fatigue, and poverty. Do you not find it odd that Hoffa and the Teamsters are opposing a Teamster president publicly? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and work with one of their own? Why did they not sit down and help him strategize, correct any mistakes, and charge ahead? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and leverage a contract for all those pilots that have been paying Teamster dues, isn't that why we have all been paying Teamster dues in the first place? I sure haven't been paying dues so that the Teamsters National could come along and write this kind of an article undercutting our union leader and our unity. Whose side is the Teamsters National really on, it's obviously not the Republic pilots side.
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No matter what Moffatt does the company is going to spin it like he is the terrorist and brainwash people like you into believing it, wake up, back your players that are trying to change things for you and your livelihood. Where has Hoffa been for the last 6 years, except collecting our dues. Seriously, do you really think an FO going for upgrade, signed off by a checkairman ready for the upgrade, who then fails, is not even capable of returning as a First Officer.
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whoa!
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Mis-handling of money, awarding multi million dollar contracts for decades to friends and contributors and other clearly called out garbage has been winked at by the AG, the IG and the FBI.
When it comes to common people calling out the state administration and their commissions wrong doing the state officials circle the wagons, protect their friends and keep right on handing out paydays. Some people calling out the messes even to the IBJ have been ignored and ridiculed as crazy people.
So some of have tried so take your smurky laugh and put your smart aleck behavior to some good use. You clearly have no idea what you are talking about.
Maybe the IBJ should start re-assessing some of the other complaints they have received about some of the commissions they refuse to look at as well.
Just because we as citizen cannot do the job of running a state budget does not mean we shouldn't expect official that are experts in their field to accurately do their job. If a doctor did a poor job on a surgery, no one would say "oh well I can't do any better, so I guess it's okay the patient didn't live". Also, everyone in the state has been hurt by this error. You would have to live under a rock to not hear about all the budget cut backs in public safety and school funding. This effects everyone in the state.
I have to wonder about the postings which praise Mitch.
He gave individuals tax increase as he reduced corporate rate.
He gave those who use the toll road higher cost in selling a interstate and using the 80 years of income to "balance the budget" this year.
He gave money to private schools claiming teachers are failures...but not the students and their parents. He hired IBM and fired IBM but Mitch is too important to testify about the need to fire IBM. He selected the friends of Mitch to represent the state of Indiana in the legal case. He selected the company to represent Indiana for the State Fair (and they are unlimited in the amount being charge) -- what happened to competitive bidding and Indiana's attorneys. He did build more jails and we do have more people in State Prisons...I'm not sure this is a good idea. He remove inheritance taxes so the filthy rich can pass down the kingdom. He removed union power so we can all work for less...anything for his corporate friends. He works to ignore the immigration problem, as business who hire for low wages want. The list goes no.
With these facts....how can any anyone other than the paid political agents for Mitch continue to give praise? Perhaps wealthy business owner can love Mitch, but not the working people of Indiana. Yes, Mitch's press releases claim great results, but we are smart enough to know the truth?
-> Not seeing all you Hoosiers stepping up to say you can do it better...
Perhaps not in this situation - and the state can't do anything about it until the lawsuit with IBM is settled, but I'll wager I can do a better job leading the task of the FSSA.