By Mark David Blum, Esq.

My feelings toward targeting the poor and weakest elements of society because they might get a few extra dollars of public assistance aside; Onondaga County recovered $51,000 through Medicaid fraud prosecutions, got back $67,000 in Medicaid money that shouldn't have been paid out and avoided $2.2 million in costs from up-front fraud detection. Amazingly, the County managed to accomplish this fete without a single cost increase or handing out of money or patronage.

It is safe to assume that the up front costs in fraud detection are going to diminish in time. Likewise, recouping $118,000.00 is not going to be an annual event because the pool of frauds and cheats will also diminish as detections go up. Hence, over time, fraud detection savings and monies recouped are going to drop to where they should not be a problem.

But this is Onondaga County and anything that works here has to be tampered with until it becomes ineffective. As a result of the fiscal recoupement referenced above, the County Legislature has decided to “get aggressive” this year. Specifically, “the county would hire two new fraud investigators for the Department of Social Services, a new assistant district attorney to prosecute those cases, and two specialists at Social Services to find and enroll some 4,800 candidates for managed care. Forensic consultants also would be hired to help develop fraud cases.” The cost to create the investigative jobs and the assistant district attorney post: $450,000 for the rest of this year.

By no means am I a math genius, but being savant is not required to see the mess the Legislature is about to drop into the laps of taxpayers. Assuming the same number of indigent cheats and frauds are caught next year and the year after, then it should only take the County less than two and a half years to realize its first million dollar loss on just this one project. After all, spending five hundred thousand dollars to recoup one hundred thousand is obnoxious and insane. Other than handing out patronage jobs to “two new fraud investigators for the Department of Social Services, a new assistant district attorney to prosecute those cases, and two specialists at Social Services”, we the taxpayers get no benefit except more hungry people and less effective government.

Then, there are the costs involved. As it is and with no extra cost, investigators and prosecutors managed to ‘recover’ $118,000.00 from cheats. Being that successful with the resources we have begs the question as to why throw that savings away. Add to that the costs of investigation, prosecution, incarceration, and alternative public services, and somehow that savings evaporates into thin air. There also will be retirement plans, medical plans, office supplies, cars, and other expenses to be added into the annual salaries being allocated. But the Legislature still wants to pander and buy your vote with a half a million dollar public bribe. Picking on the poor and defenseless is fast becoming the trademark of this County and its main City. Handing out jobs to your buddies before you leave office is a shame.

Rich or poor; a thief is a thief and a criminal is a criminal. The law should treat each the same. Society however, is not so burdened. Query whether the County has invested the same amount of energy into catching the white collar thieves who steal millions and corrupt government employees who are bilking the system, running up overtime, and using the system as a personal police force or fiefdom.

Ultimately what I see from all of this is an entire County Legislature that has no clue in how to do basic math. Programs in place are working. Throwing another half a million dollars to save one hundred thousand is the best reason to remove the entire Legislature.

Though at a certain level, we can’t blame them. Had they invested the same energy in our schools as they do in chasing down the hungry and homeless, then perhaps our Legislators would have a better understanding in how bad is their math.

Hopefully when the votes are tallied after this year’s election, we will see a whole new Legislature; one concerned on fiscal responsibility, focused on protecting the weak, and one which can do basic math.

Otherwise, whip out your checkbooks because your taxes are about to get worse.