This is Exactly What
happens when you cut taxes and reduce staff. The NYT has this piece up.
Remembering, of course, that one is not guilty until proven so in a court of law, this post is not about the individual arrested. This is about (my ems)
The agency’s commissioner resigned last month and Mr. Bloomberg has been struggling to find a replacement to run a department . . . where the inspection ranks are sorely understaffed and underpaid despite an unprecedented building boom.
We are all familiar with FEMA’s approach to Katrina and New Orleans. Whatever Mr. Brown’s qualifications, he did not approach the position like Clinton’s FEMA Director, Jamie Lee Whitt.
And in New York, if you do not pay your employees what they are worth, what the market will give them somewhere else, then you will have difficulty retaining staff.
The article describes the person’s position and salary for that position
the acting chief inspector for the Cranes and Derricks Unit at the city Department of Buildings, was in charge of overseeing the issuance of city licenses for crane operators.
post of acting chief inspector . . . now makes $74,224 a year, another official said.
Remembering that I am in NO WAY attempting to justify any illegal actions, I ask you, is 74 grand enough to live in the Bronx and work in Manhattan? Is this part of the problem? Is the City of New York not willing to pay a living wage.
Taxes are what we pay to get government. If taxes are lowered, the quality and/or services of government will be less.
Liberty Street 
June 7, 2008 at 8:02 am
I live in the Bronx and am looking for work in Manhattan, and I’d be VERY well off with $74K a year. In fact, I’ll be fine if I even get $50K!