Daily News: Thompson Let CityTime Crooks Steal With Impunity

It's about time Bill Thompson get a little scrutiny for the poor job he did as comptroller:

The effort to modernize the city’s payroll system — a project called CityTime — began with high hopes: a promise of huge savings by bringing the pen-and-paper timekeeping systems for city workers into the 21st century.

But from an initial price of $73 million, city spending ballooned to more than $700 million. Some $500 million of that money disappeared into a vast network of overseas bank accounts. Ten people would be indicted.

In his campaign for mayor, Democrat Bill Thompson touts his eight years as “the city’s top financial watchdog.” But a Daily News investigation has found that Thompson repeatedly failed to intervene as the CityTime scandal unfolded on his watch as controller.

His top lieutenants were told repeatedly about the soaring costs — and were warned that CityTime consultants had racked up tens of thousands of dollars in paychecks for work they didn’t perform.
Yet, of the 626 audits Thompson’s office conducted in his eight years as controller, none looked at CityTime.

“We just kept giving (CityTime) increases, and there was no limit to it. It was so obvious it was a runaway train,” the former auditor, who asked not to be identified, told The News.

“What needed to happen was that somebody needed to do an overall assessment to see where the money is going.”

Thompson spokesman John Collins acknowledged that Thompson could have done more — but Collins said that others, including the mayor, City Council and Budget Director Mark Page, bear responsibility, too.

Thompson's right, of course.  

Others do bear some responsibility for the CityTime mess.

But so does Thompson.

Do you think Liu would have ignored the warnings around CityTime?

That's one of the reasons the Daily News and the Post and the oligarchs hate Liu and worked to destroy him.

He doesn't turn a blind eye to corporate malfeasance and crookery.

 

He audits it.

Unlike, say, Bill Thompson.

 

Here's a timeline of the CityTime scandal, courtesy of the DN:

Jan. 1, 2002 William Thompson’s first day as controller. CityTime’s cost: $73 million.

December 2002 Thompson approves CityTime contract amendment, price rises to $100M.

February 2004 CityTime amendment approved by Thompson — now it’s $114M.

2006 Thompson approves CityTime amendment, hiking price to $244M.

2007 Thompson approves CityTime amendment, rising price to $349M.

July 1, 2009 Thompson approves another amendment. Price now $628M.

Dec. 31, 2009 Thompson’s last day as controller. No audit of CityTime completed during his tenure.

Sept. 28, 2010 Thompson’s successor, John Liu, audits CityTime, finds OPA’s “mismanagement” of oversight likely resulted in CityTime’s bloated costs.

The way Thompson handled the CityTime scandal is indicative of how he handled most things when he was comptroller.

 

He deferred to Big Daddy Bloomberg.

 

Gives you some insight into the kind of mayor he'll be if he's elected.