http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jimr/19326 IT’S YOUR CITY – AND YOUR MONEY!   Do you know how, why, when, and where the City of Tehachapi officials are spending your tax dollars?   Neither do I.   But we can and should know and even have a voice in these expenditures.   To the best of my knowledge, for the first time in this City’s history a proposal has been made for an outside, independent “Special Investigative Audit” of the City’s books and expenditures.   This proposal will be made to the City Council by Councilman Stan Beckham at the meeting of Monday, Jan. 7th. At 6pm.   EVERYONE is a tax payer and we all have a stake in the outcome of this vote.   Councilmember Hand asked the question, “how much will this cost?” The real question should be “how much is it costing us NOT to do this?” The quotation given by the Audit firm was $8,000.00. This is just $3,000.00 more than the City paid for an Indian Basket Weaving Class (where no one signed up as a student) and this money has never been questioned. That’s the sort of thing that has to be stopped and examined. It’s called FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY!   I encourage everyone who possibly can to attend this important meeting and make your voices and concerns known and heard. The Council will take a vote on this measure and if any Councilmember votes against it….I want to know WHY. Don’t you?   I hope to see all of you there.   Jim Richards IT’S YOUR CITY – AND YOUR MONEY!   Do you know how, why, when, and where the City of Tehachapi officials are spending your tax dollars?   Neither do I.   But we can and should know and even have a voice in these expenditures.   To the best of my knowledge, for the first time in this City’s history a proposal has been made for an outside, independent “Special Investigative Audit” of the City’s books and expenditures.   This proposal will be made to the City Council by Councilman Stan Beckham at the meeting of Monday, Jan. 7th. At 6pm.   EVERYONE is a tax payer and we all have a stake in the outcome of this vote.   Councilmember Hand asked the question, “how much will this cost?” The real question should be “how much is it costing us NOT to do this?” The quotation given by the Audit firm was $8,000.00. This is just $3,000.00 more than the City paid for an Indian Basket Weaving Class (where no one signed up as a student) and this money has never been questioned. That’s the sort of thing that has to be stopped and examined. It’s called FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY!   I encourage everyone who possibly can to attend this important meeting and make your voices and concerns known and heard. The Council will take a vote on this measure and if any Councilmember votes against it….I want to know WHY. Don’t you?   I hope to see all of you there.   Jim Richards en-us