More Anti money problems

Apparently Ceasefire has been naughty w/ it's funds. These are your tax dollars at work.

Auditor General's report blasts Cease Fire

by Kathy Chaney
August 30, 2007

The Illinois Auditor General released a 28-page audit (smaller version)of the CeaseFire violence prevention group detailing misappropriation of funds, receiving money outside of the parameters of payment agreements and having work started by its partners without written agreements.

The organization started in 2000 and is run by the University of Illinois at Chicago. CeaseFire received $16.2 million for the fiscal years between 2004 and 2006. The state funded the majority of its total, $11 million. The audit comes days after Gov. Rod Blagojevich cut more than $6 million in funding for the group.

Expenditures that the state auditor's office deemed inappropriate between the fiscal years 2004 and 2006 include "$371,534 in reimbursements to community partners." The report also stated that there is limited-to-no proof that the measure CeaseFire has taken minimizes crime.

In a letter to the Defender, Sen. Donne Trotter (D-17) agrees.

Note: and he's a Chicago Democrat to boot.

"The over $18.5 million given to Operation CeaseFire has done more to legitimize gang leaders' portfolios than actually stopping violence…The violence in their areas is getting progressively worse, " Trotter wrote."

Gary Slutkin, the Exec director responds w/ claims of a decrease in homicides since '03 due to thier programs. I wonder if he then assumes responsibility for the 4% increase in '06 or if he points the fingers elsewhere for that one?

Maybe the '03 decrease had more to do w/ this:

"The police department launched a three-pronged attack on gangs, drugs and guns in 2003 after more than 600 homicides were recorded in Chicago for three straight years. Numbers were down about 25 percent in 2004, the first time the city finished a year with fewer than 500 homicides since 1965, when 395 were reported."

Than w/ anything CF did. But what is their response? "Do it again. Only harder" by claiming they need more money or else things will get worse again.


Thanks to IllinoisCarry for the info