TEA Party! Wright County MN - Massive County Financial Cover up?

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Pat Sawatzke - Wright County Minnesota Commissioner | Photo 02

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As you all will recall, almost 4 weeks ago now I asked the Wright County, MN Auditor Hiivala and my Wright County, MN Commissioner Sawatzke to provide me with the payroll and benefits package for the last 5 years for all of the employees of Wright County. See  Write a letter to your City and County! Where's the money?

When I talked to Auditor Hiivala, he told me that I was not alone in my concerns of rapidly rising Property taxes. He specifically told me the story of a 70 year old woman who was retired and living in the home she had lived in for 40 years. Mr. Hiivala told me that the woman had told him and the county board that she being taxed out of her home.

In my case, as of next year my property taxes will have went up cumulatively, $800 to $1000 dollars per year. This represents a virtual doubling of my property taxes in 5 years. At the same time, a few months ago I read and covered a story Moody's Downgrades the County. Moody’s downgraded Municipal bonds as a class, rather than the normal practice of grading individual local government entities. They cited their reason as being overspending and a hollowing out of the revenue core. Essentially Moody’s is the Credit Bureau for Government entities below the state level. These 2 things led me to get personally involved in discovering where my property tax money is going.

2 weeks ago I advised all of the Wright County Commissioners that I had not received the information I requested. I asked to be put on the Country Board meeting agenda for July 14th, 2009. When I showed up at the meeting, I still was not on the agenda. As the meeting came to a close, I interrupted and stated that I had asked to be on the agenda.
 
I was given some run around about how they mailed the letter to my home, rather than my PO Box where they have mailed my tax statements for the last almost 10 years. They told me I could get that letter from assistant County attorney Brian Asleson after the meeting. Before I left the meeting, I insisted that I be on the next Board Meeting Agenda. I went up to the County attorney’s office to pick up the letter and information. I was informed that he could not be found and no one knew where the letter was. (With consideration, he is just following ELECTED County Attorney Tom Kelly’s instructions as most elected officials use plausible deniability to avoid being linked to questionable issues and practices which might create re-electability issues)
 
Hours later, Mr. Asleson called my phone and told me he had some bundled of information that I could have for about $20.00. However, he said it did not include various information like job descriptions and job titles. He pretended to be helpful and said he could produce more complete records with at least the job title, etc. He said he would re-mail the letter that day.
 
Since that day, Mr. Asleson has not returned my calls nor been available to be seen in person. In a coordinated effort to prevent me from raising this issue at the next County Board meeting, the letter allegedly sent July 1st, promised to me after the meeting July 14th, arrived July 16th. it requested a down payment of $250.00 before I could have all the information i wanted.

On Wednesday, July 15th, County Administrator Dick Norman sent me an email telling me that I had not said “Simon Says, I want to be on the agenda for the next County Board Meeting". That email proposed a set of hoops I had to jump through. Unfortunately, not expecting any important emails on my personal email, I did not read the email until Mr. Norman’s deadline had passed. Mr Dick Norman was informed of my desire at about 330p a half hour past his duplicitous deadline. As i remained seated and calm in the reception area, Mr. Norman started wagging his finger at me and smirking. At some point i felt Mr. Norman was so arrogant, I had to remind him he was a Public Servant, not an aristocrat. Is it not enough that I, a resident, say at the previous meeting that I want to be on the agenda for the next meeting to address the failure to provide the information I previously requested?
 
I believe it to be obvious to all Wright County Citizens that the County Board has something to hide. PLEASE GATHER BAIL MONEY FOR ME, BECAUSE I INTEND TO BE HEARD TOMORROW MORNING, July 21st, 2009 AT OR ABOUT 9AM. I WILL BE AT THE BOARD MEETING REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY PUT ME ON THE AGENDA OR NOT! WE THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS OF WRIGHT COUNTY HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE OUR TAX MONEY IS GOING! If not me, who?; If not now, when?
 
I believe that keeping Wright County Residents in their own homes should be the priority. I believe the ELECTED Wright County Board has failed to protect us Citizens from excess spending. I believe they are hiding this information from us because it will evidence the betrayal. Where do they think I am going to get the extra 1000 dollars per year from? Where do they think any of us are going to get the money for these increased property taxes from?"

Please read the rest of the article by clicking here -> Examiner.com

Thank you for reading!

Respectfully Submitted

Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot

See Also Don Mashak's other blogs!

Wright County Free Press

Don Mashak's Political Ponderings

TEA Party and other Lawful Independent Political Dissent

Minnesota 10th Judical District Free Press

Challenge to all US Political Parties!

HR 1632 (2009) Minnesota Judicial Reform and Acccountability