With the Elizabeth Board of Education (EBOE) now firmly in the pockets of the county machine their first move was to hire someone to find out if there were any fiscal shenanigans under the prior regime by taking on a firm expert in such matters. Per nj.com:
The school board voted Thursday to hire a forensic auditor to examine the district’s spending over the past five years.
The forensic auditor will dissect the Elizabeth Board of Education’s past finances and advise the board on possible spending cuts.
After the board named accounting firm Lerch, Vinci & Higgins to the position at the district’s reorganization meeting, commissioner José Rodriguez told NJ Advance Media the firm will look for money that could be saved and reinvested in classrooms.
“Over the years, we believe that there was a lot of wasteful spending, a lot of jobs that were not necessary for educational purposes — jobs that were given either politically, contracts that might have been given that might have had no competitive bidding,” he said.
Lerch, Vinci & Higgins should know a thing or two about what they would be looking for as their campaign donations over the years come to tens of thousands of dollars to Democrats (and Chris Christie in 2009) including major funding for Rahway Democrats:
- no date $1,500 – Saliga Mione Baker & Rachlin
- 11/7/14: $2,600 Steinman, Samson General
- 6/3/14: $5,000 Miles Mojica Baker & Giacobbi
- 4/10/14: $2,600 Steinman, Samson Primary
- 4/18/12: $2,500 Rahway Democratic Committee
- 9/17/10: $2,500 Baker Mione Saliga & Rachlin
- 4/19/10: $1,000 Saliga Mione Baker & Rachlin
- 4/19/10 $2,600 Proctor, Richard Primary
These are the auditors who will be looking for wasteful spending and to help them the EBOE named two professionals in the field:
Jonathan L. Williams of the law firm DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole will serve as the board’s co-general counsel. DeCotiis is deeply connected to New Jersey’s Democratic establishment, including to Trenton, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and former Gov. Jim McGreevey.
Robert F. Varady of the law firm La Corte, Bundy, Varady & Kinsella will also serve as co-general counsel.
La Corte, Bundy, Varady & Kinsella donate exclusively to Union County politicians while DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole you should already know about.
countywatchers 
Posted by bpaterson on January 8, 2016 at 5:45 pm
can this get any more ridiculous, corrupted people investigating possible corruption. For example-What do you think these investigators would report if they find, behind close doors, that hidden monies possibly was being funneled to freeholder’s relatives on no show jobs or to companies that do business not only with the EBOE but with the county and that donate to sheriff cryans or senator lesniaks political campaigns, or any of their cronies. Will this stuff make light of day.
Theres the savings, don’t investigate since its just a one directional witch hunt.
And yes JB1 youre right; with jonathan Williams of decotiis Fitzpatrick, I proved that he lied when the UCUA was refinancing and a part of the savings close to $4 million disappeared without a trace. he should be disbarred, probably bought his way thru the bar exams by using a shill as a guess. And you noted the lie of his a few years ago to the freeholders about the savings going with solar
More ridiculous dumbasses in control now at the EBOE.
Posted by ReadsLikeAMafiaBook on January 9, 2016 at 4:01 pm
$192,000.00 walked right out the DeCottis law firm’s door into crook Wayne Bryant’s wallet and DeCotiis law firm did not even see it. LOL
Posted by Ray on January 10, 2016 at 1:17 pm
So when will the taxpayers of union county demand a forensic audit of the wasteful spending of county funds?
Posted by jim on January 15, 2016 at 11:32 am
In the five years that I attended freeholder meetings I asked at least three times for an audit of the County’s books by an independent accounting firm. I was turned down each time. I am now happily LMFAO in FL! The less-than-informed voters of UC have gotten the government that they deserve as the saying goes despite the work done by the County Watchers and Bruce.