" the slash and burn - take no prisoners - anything goes is so corrosive to our democracy and we've got to fight this because it turns people off politics in general and leaves that space to be occupied by special interests that determine how the goodies are to be passed out...." barack obama, nov. 23, 2004
catania, cannot own and operate an active, profitable real estate construction company business for the last three years and now he resigned because of conflict of interest as president of the board of directors, of tremont west development corporation,Tremont West Development Corporation. The appearance of impropriety and the potential for abuse are just too obvious.
its been reported (catania, confirmed he was resiging) sammy catania, was forced to resign because of conflict of interest as president of the board of directors, of tremont west development corporation,Tremont West Development Corporation | 2406 Professor St., Cleveland, OH 44113 | 216-575-0920 , (all the great employees are very wonderfull) -a non-profit corporation, that receives federal, goverment, funds and does local fund raising-catania, was forced to resign because of conflict of interest - catania is a licensed contractor, and its been reported that he used his position as board president, to make money for himself and his friends-
Someone who sun-moon lights by buying and selling real estate and doing construction shouldn't be anywhere near a job that gives him influence with real estate and construction jobs.
catania, cannot continue serving two masters - the public and himself.
He must choose one or the other, and he must do it now.
Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo can't have it both ways.
Russo cannot own and operate an active, profitable real estate business at the same time he is charged with setting the taxable value of every parcel of land in the county. The appearance of impropriety and the potential for abuse are just too obvious.
He must resign as county auditor or give up the real estate business. If he does not, the county commissioners or the county prosecutor should summon a wee bit of leadership and demand that Russo do right by the taxpayers of Cuyahoga County.
That Russo would preside over such an active real estate business, as described in detail Friday by Plain Dealer reporter Amanda Garrett, is appalling - so much so that it has attracted the interest of federal agents investigating Russo and his sidekick, Commissioner Jimmy Dimora.
The value the auditor's office places on real property is important because property owners pay taxes based on that valuation. Someone who moonlights by buying and selling real estate shouldn't be anywhere near a job that gives him influence over the fair market value of real estate.
Consider the case of Ferris Kleem, owner of Blaze Construction Co. in Berea, whose office was raided by federal agents as part of last week's massive FBI and IRS sweep. Russo's office has set the market value of Kleem's 4,000-square-foot home on a wooded lot in Berea at $255,000 - the same price Kleem paid for it 13 years ago. A smaller house across the street is valued at $404,200.
Russo cannot continue serving two masters - the public and himself.
He must choose one or the other, and he must do it now.
Links:
[1] http://www.geocities.com/questministry
[2] http://www.wardogsmemorial.org/
[3] http://www.disclosureproject.com/