Isn't this a little outside the scope of the OIG

[bam bam]

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/ig_report_suggests_many_hotels.html

[#7 throw away to do list.]

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/ig_report_suggests_many_hotels.html

the oig is a solid guy. he has carte blanche with me. this is his area as it relates to waste and or fraud.

[bam bam]

No govt actor should ever have carte blanche. It is interesting to me, that an office that was to monitor govt spending and the awarding of contracts, now has decided he has jurisdiction to enforce the tax code and possibly seek indictments against private businesses and citizens.

[Dilfan]

No govt actor should ever have carte blanche. It is interesting to me, that an office that was to monitor govt spending and the awarding of contracts, now has decided he has jurisdiction to enforce the tax code and possibly seek indictments against private businesses and citizens.
While I agree with you on the carte blanche issue, I would think that this came about while investigating City Halls many shortcomings in tax collection. If the city is not collecting the correct amounts of taxes, then it is not only unfair to those who pay their due amounts, but it also exposes more waste and possible corruption within the local government.
Just my .02 cents worth......

[#7 throw away to do list.]

the new orleans OIG does not have enforcement powers as far as i know. they are basically an auditor. in this case the OIG believes that the hotel taxes are not being properly collected by the city. bam bam, mr. q is one of the good guys. he is fighting for people like you.

[bam bam]

My source tells me he wants to indict. I have a huge problem with an office vested with weeding out corporation in govt bringing criminal charges as a quasi LE agency against private citizens.

Then there's the whole issue of whether these hotels are economically viable if they have to pay $250k to the city annually.

[#7 throw away to do list.]

My source tells me he wants to indict. I have a huge problem with an office vested with weeding out corporation in govt bringing criminal charges as a quasi LE agency against private citizens.

Then there's the whole issue of whether these hotels are economically viable if they have to pay $250k to the city annually.

the tax in question is not a tax on the hotel, it is a tax on the guest that is broken out on the bill. apparently certain hotels are under reporting revenue thus keeping money that they are not entitled to. how can the IG indict when they have no power to do so. they can recommend only.....i understand the point re: the OIG meddling in the private sector. however, look at st tammany parish, the assessor is crooked and/or incompetent. therefore millions in property taxes have been lost. as a result the people paying the correct amount get the shaft via non-rolling back of millages. i think the push here by the OIG is to motivate the person in charge of collecting these hotel taxes to do their job.