COMMENTS

WASHAM LOOKING OUT FOR PIERCE COUNTY TAXPAYERS

By: Cherie Kuranko January 14, 2010

Washam Requests Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist to Investigate Criminal Allegations involving Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Employees from 2001-2008

Pierce County taxpayers are awaiting the decision of Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist to see if the wheels of justice will turn with the investigation into the alleged criminal wrongdoings of Pierce County employees during Assessor-Treasurer Ken Madsen's terms between the years 2001-2008.

An update posted on the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer website of an investigative report into the alleged falsification of over 368,000 records was posted in September of 2009. An investigation is still pending.

The current Assessor Treasurer Dale Washam said, “I can't understand why an investigation hasn't been done.”

Continuing to pursue the matter with the new Prosecuting Attorney; Washam sent a letter to Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist on January 11, 2010 to request an investigation into the criminal allegations detailed in the report.
If the allegations, for which property tax documents, employee statements and copies of emails exist in support of the claims in the report, are determined by the Prosecuting Attorney to be accurate, then taxpayers have suffered a loss of funding for public services and programs. Property taxes are used to support the following in Pierce County.

• Local Schools: 38.03%
• Rural Libraries: 2.04%
• Road District: 5.98%
• Fire Protection Districts: 9.0%
• Cities & Towns: 11.16%
• Port: 1.41%
• Park Districts: 1.85%
• Pierce County: 10.5 %
• Washington State General Fund:

20.02% (These funds contribute to the Sheriff's Dept., Jails, Emergency Management, Medical Examiner, Prosecuting Attorney's Office (the office responsible for instigating an investigation), courts, general government, physical & economic environment, culture/recreation ( maintenance, operation and creation of parks, rec. facilities and supports county arts programs), mental/physical health to reach and treat disadvantaged citizens.
For eight years Pierce County schools, fire, police, parks and other public programs were deprived of revenue if the alleged criminal actions exposed in the Investigative Report are determined to be true.
It is the duty of the Prosecuting Attorney's office to instigate and conduct a full investigation into the alleged criminal actions of Pierce County employees, and if necessary prosecute all individuals involved.

A letter dated October 6, 2009 from Governor Gregoire’s office to Washam confirms this by stating:

"The Governor's Office concurs that the information uncovered by your thorough investigation should be reviewed by the county prosecution to determine if crimes were committed and if charges should be brought against the individuals involved. Since the allegations of misconduct are on the local government level, it is the locally-elected prosecutor's responsibility to take the lead in instigating further action."

Taxpayers are wondering what the hold up is? Why hasn't the Prosecuting Attorney's office investigated these allegations?

Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist, the current Prosecuting Attorney, recently replaced Gerald Horne following Horne’s retirement. Mr. Horne did not pursue an investigation into this matter during his term. It is now up to Lindquist to instigate the investigation.

Mr. Washam states on the Assessor-Treasurers website, "In a letter to Mark Lindquist, the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney, I asked for his help to get a full investigation into the alleged 368,642 false entries made in the Assessor-Treasurer's office official taxpayer records during the years 2001 through 2008.

His letter to Lindquist in part states, ''If you and I as county government officials will not stand to uphold the Rule of Law and the constitutions and laws of Washington State and the United States of America, who will? It is a fact, we both took a sworn oath of office to uphold those constitutions and laws of the United States of America and Washington State and thereby, we have a duty and obligation to do so.''

To view a complete copy of the letter Assessor Treasurer Washam sent to Prosecuting Attorney Lindquist, as well as related documentation, you may visit the Pierce County website at: http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/abtus/ourorg/at/at.htm

If you feel an investigation should be instigated by Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist you may email him and respectfully request this at: pcprosatty@co.pierce.wa.us