Elections records in shambles, new chief says

TAMPA -- One day into the job, Hillsborough County's new elections chief offered an unsettling description of her office.

Supervisor of Elections Phyllis Busansky told county commissioners today that financial records in the office are in "tremendous disarray.

"We have no idea how much money has been spent and how much is owed," Busansky said.

Busansky's chief of staff, Craig Latimer, said financial records were scattered around the supervisor's Falkenburg Road office, in boxes on the floor and stacks on desks. Bank statements were found wrapped with rubberbands.

They offered those descriptions after commissioners were briefed on an audit of the office ordered after Busansky's predecessor, Buddy Johnson, asked for a $2.3-million bailout last month. Director of County Audit Dan Pohto told commissioners he was unable to validate Johnson's rationale for the request.

Pohto told commissioners that Johnson's chief of staff never returned messages from him after commissioners voted to conduct the audit. An office accountant canceled an initial meeting then provided limited documentation when they did get together.

That stoked a raft of heated commentary from commissioners.

"The results of this audit are embarrassing," said Commissioner Rose Ferlita.

Commissioners voted 7-0 to give the elections office $336,000 from reserves to pay for overtime expenses from the November election that Pohto said he was able to validate.

-- Bill Varian, Times staff writer 

Comments

[bill]

Perhaps the matter should be referred to the State Attorney for investigation and prosecution of Johnson, if evidence supports such action. It sounds like Johnson's lack of oversight or deliberate negligence may constitute criminal behavior. The taxpayers got duped with Johnson.

Class act Busansky. Slam your prdecessor to build yourself up. They just had an audit. No surprise that records would be out. Just because you don't know something your first day there doesn't mean they are a shambles.

[Reggie Dunlop]

This is just incredible: This bumbling fool named Buddy has been a disaster for how long now? Truly amazing that the inept County Govt. could let this guy make headlines for screwing up all the time, and still pay him a giant salary while embarrassing the County. Now he's long gone with how much dough? Don't act shocked now. This is how the story had to end with this moron.

[Lucia]

Voters are idiots when they elect hacks like Buddy Johnson or Deborah Clark to run election offices. Elect people with management skills to run those office well and get the politics out of running elections--unless you want messes like this in Hillsborough and being shut out of early voting in PInellas.

[Chris W]

3:59 - Isn't it common business practice to keep your records organized and ready for an audit? Unless the audit was done by a trained monkey the papers should have been neatly stored in boxes and file cabinets.

Sorry. Buddy was up way past his bedtime in this job.

[Reality]

Neither the office of SOE, or Tax Collector, or Property Appraiser, should be elected offices. If the truth be told, neither should the position of Sheriff. These are skilled administrative positions that have (or at least should have) nothing whatsoever with partisan politics. The positions should be advertised for and hired by our respective County Commissions, just like the position of County Administrator.

But unless we elect leaders with integrity to County Commission positions, expecting practical success from this process would be an exercise in futility. But one can still hope.

[Greg]

Reality hit the nail on the head...these should be appointed positions filled by people with strong managerial and administrative capabilities, not cronies who are only out to take care of themselves and their fellow cronies. As tax collections continue to decline, an even greater level of diligence will be required to manage available funds, and not waste it like Buddy Johnson has clearly done.

[becca]

It's ALL really becoming quite disenchanting, isn't it???? Institutions, mismanaged for years, over taken by a total lack of integrity.

Install Bush, allow a trollp like Katie Harris to prance around in a tight sweater to showcase her,uh, expertise in WHAT..... state budget a complete disaster...etc., etc.

Highly disenchanting, and completely unworthy of our tax dollars.

From now on, VOTE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT....sheeple, faux news fans. I had enough of fools after the 2000 election debacle, and REMEMBER ALL THE LIES, LEST A WORSE FATE BEFALL US ALL.

[Inside the SOE]

If Buddy paid the Election riggers...errr... consultants on time, he might have won.

Dig,dig,dig... there's sooooo much more to this.

[somethingtosay]

You reap what you sow.

[voxy]

If Buddy had played his cards right we'd be calling him Mayor Johnson by now.

I am glad busansky won. HOWEVER, as a former banker I request that things be kept in perspective. Bank statements are BEST KEPT in rubberbands lest something is lost.
Other records have to go in something.

I don't think he paid his assistant to FILE, baby.
Not at that salary.
She was there to guard the door.

LOL.
And buddy don't know nuttin bout no election riggin.
WRONG LAST NAME.
lmao.
Good luck, Phyllis.
Just get your sleeves rolled up and dig in ..
they can't have been THAT disorganized. I got letters from him on a timely basis when requested.

[Chris Cantwell]

An educated public is an essential ingredient of a free society. Ambitious governments would have far greater difficulty implementing schemes that undermine liberty and prosperity were they faced with an informed and vigilant population.Our government and monetary system do not work for we the people, we the people work for it, as slaves. You'd think by now, with all the information, with all the abundant resources, and all the previous history, that we as a people would be able to be free in the sense of, absence of debt. We pay for food & water. we pay for light. we pay and labor our entire lives realistically to support an quasi-empirical empire who's only objective, being monetarily based, is PROFIT. Our society is being held back by the amount a time required to sustain any kind of decent quality of life. and for what? to be SAFE? to be Happy? No, to continue to fund a corrupt government that serves corporate interests, not the peoples, it serves profit interests. Wake Up!!! Truth is treason in the empire of lies.

Let us recall who appointed Buddy to office. Jeb!

[3:59]

Chris W., I have performed many audits, including audits of a governmental entity. The SOE was not preparing for an audit, as you say. On the contrary the office had just been through an audit. It would not be unusual for bank and other records to be where the auditors left them. You don't want the auditors refiling. They would be susceptiple to misfiling. In any case for an individual, his first day on the job at the SOE, before he even knows where the bathroom is, to claim records are in a shambles is pathetic and unprofessional. The little pinhead will eventually learn where everything is.

For all Buddy's missteps, he ran fair elections and stayed out of partisan politics. Democratic leaders say they were treated fairly. Now we have an arrogant partisan in that office.

[jww]

Why is Phyllis discussing this before an external independent audit by Ernst and Young, one of the world’s largest accounting firms, concludes its report? It is not professional of her but it is political. If Ernst and Young’s report states that something is amiss then so be it. If not then apologize and get to work making things even better.

Seems like this lady is a bit of a drama queen. How many things did she run for before finally getting elected for this job.

I don't know what Buddy did or didn't do, but this lady likes to be the center of attention.

[Chris W]

3:59, if I were Phyllis and I found the office in that kind of shambles, I would make sure the public knew about it so I didn't wind up taking the blame for something that my predecessor did.

Common courtesy should have dictated that Buddy tell the SOE staff get the office in order for the next person to hold it and not blame the auditors for leaving things around. Come back and comment after we find out where he spent all that extra money he sent his deputy to ask the County Commission for.

didnt Don Phillips back buddy and say he got a poor shake in the news paper and after careful investigation that buddy was honest and competent wrong.... on both counts

[Anastacia Beaverhousen]

All of you slamming Phyllis are nothing more than partisan hacks working for Johnson at $10 an hour. Get a life - or an education.

The facts: Buddy has STOLEN/MISPLACED/OVERSPENT over $2.3 MILLION from the county taxpayers and no one - including him and his right-hand slacks can account for where the money went. Buddy LIED about the finances of this office for the last year. Buddy made repeated claims that he SAVED the taxpayers money and had achieved a baseline reduction of 10% in the budget.

Phyllis goes in front of the BOCC and you $10 an hour whores get on a public forum to state that she is a drama queen or raising issues that we already know. How about this: she has to somehow account for the missing $2.3 MILLION and either make major cuts or ask for the money to make that office financially whole. She is left with the mess that Buddy created. And, rightfully so, the BOCC should ask questions. And, as an elected official, she better inform the public.

And as far as one of you who state that Buddy wasn't a partisan - you are completely incorrect and misinformed.

Phyllis, thank you for the outstanding job we know you will do.

Personal message to Buddy: by the time this is all said and done, I wouldn't drop the soap in showers. Buddy Johnson, Jeb Bush appointee, typical republican.