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Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/55342
February 15, 2012 Perspectives Quirky Quartzsite's Contributed by Violet Kiss Emails, letters, TV news; we are inundat- ed with politics right now as the GOP Pri- mary and our March Elections are in full swing. The Primary Early Ballots are out. In reading certain campaign letters mailed recently, I feel an urge to give my "perspec- tives" on some of their context. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of phrases thrown on these handouts that are vague, and downright wrong. Today, I am going to talk about Ed Fos- ter's first line on his hand-out: "52 checks 41 employees - They don't care" Having been involved with financials most of my adult career working for others as well as my own businesses, for the last 10 years I am also a CFO of my corporation. I do understand accounting procedures and issues so I thought this would be a timely piece to clarify this nonsensical phrase Foster keeps using. To keep things simple, I am going to use 7 bullet points: 1. For any company or Municipality with a good amount of employees, checks issued rarely match the same number of employees. 2. Employees and sometimes former employ- ees are issued checks and not only for payroll. 3. Additional issued checks to employees and former employees can be for many reasons: 1040s (for misc. subcontracts, etc), vacation pay, paid maternity/paterni- ty leave, deferred compensation, correct- ed errors, former employees paid leave, overpayment of COBRA health premiums, wage or other garnishments ordered by www.DesertMessenger.com court or other volunteer gar- nishments. I am sure there are many more reasons but these should give you a good idea. 4. These are legal, appropriate, and Standard Accounting Procedures. 5. If even one check issued was wrong, misleading or outright confusing, the Auditor would have had any item in question investigated, brought to the Town's attention, and clarified. 6. There is no way an Auditor would risk his/her licensing (CPA) or their corporate license by doing otherwise. 7. All Quartzsite Audits to date have been accepted as correct and accurate with the public duly notified. Foster saw the checks (during his short term as Mayor before being recalled due to dereliction of proper duty), the Chart of Accounts, and was aware of the privacy acts for citizenry and standard accounting practices. There are many people (em- ployees and/or former employees) who would not want to have their garnishments or other private matters made public. The public would appreciate that same privacy if put into the same position. What is most annoying for the rest of us is that Foster knows this and because of individuals right to privacy, whereby the Town MUST abide by, he will distort the same data that can- not by law be revealed. So he and others who want this town bankrupt, will print and reprint the: "52 checks, 41 employees, They don't Care" garbage, for that's all that it's good for, garbage. On Audits, taking out certain data that's been verified and twisting it to be used in a most inappropriate and uneducated way is actually laughable showing how far the op- position will go. Luckily, our Townspeople are smarter than that. Most people have received paychecks now or in the past, or received vacation or other checks. It doesn't take much to understand it, so why the hubbub? When things get quieter, the anti-Quartzsite Opposition simply has to have 'something' to stir in that proverbial cauldron. It's as simple as that. They've constantly attacked with vicious unfounded rumors, brought in failed law- suits and created many recalls all at Town's expense (of course). Well, it has been qui- eter, and the rumors have been ignored for lack of merit, and their recalls have failed. Yet, the townspeople-at-large who recalled Ed Foster recently with less than one year as Mayor, succeeded and unseated him. Another of Foster's hand-out phrases, "I want to be your next Mayor" ??? He was just unseated a little over 5 months ago, why would we even think about it? Now, that should really tell you something in it- self. No more needs to be said. Please vote. Quartzsite is on track - look around it's nice, happy, and, yes, quirky! • Birth • Obituary • Anniversary Place it FREE in the: Desert Messenger! 541-218-2560 Page 19 Got something to share? Paid for by Michelle Lukkasson, PO. Box 3190, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 Jerky Store & Deli ❖ 2 EACH: BREAST, LEG, THIGH, WING or ❖ WHOLE ROTISERRIE CHICKEN Desert Laundry and Propane PROPANE $285 per gallon 30 N. CENTRAL (HWY. 95) + tax BEHIND JERKY STORE • EASY IN/OUT! 30 N. Central (Hwy. 95) Open 8-5 • 7 days/week 928-927-5655 THE HOTTEST DRYERS IN TOWN NEXT TO JERKY STORE * GOOD PARKING LAUNDRY OPEN 6AM .... 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