Kickbacks in sheriff's office: Prime example of why Michigan needs strong news media
April 07, 2009
At least the voters in this Florida county know about their former sheriff and how he handed out more than $1 million in bonuses to key employes and then have them kick back a portion of that bonus to him.
Read this story from the Northwest Florida Daily News about how the former Okaloosa County Sheriff handed out $1.35 million in performance bonuses and all the other side issues involving the perks he gave himself and his key personnel. As taxpayers, everybody should feel outraged.
But the key thing and let me repeat that, the key thing is that the light of this newspaper shined brightly on what appears to be blatant corruption.
In Michigan and most other states, newspapers, both big and small are struggling to stay in existence and as I wrote yesterday about how newspapers are dropping their state capitol coverage. This is also happening to city halls where happenings are getting very basic coverage at best.
We have an interest in reviving news coverage of our governmental structure and the people involved in it.
That's the only way we keep our freedom and our individual liberty. Otherwise, the public servants who operate in the dark reverse roles with us and make us their servants.
This is not right or left wing thinking.
Citizens need to demand accountability of their public officials like they're getting here in northwest Florida. Anybody disagree?