WHISTLEBLOWER: DISAPPEARING GRANT MONEY “RAMPANT”
|| By FITSNEWS || Think South Carolina’s Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is mismanaged? Strapped for cash? You ain’t seen nothing yet …
Governor Nikki Haley and state lawmakers are facing a looming revolt from “hundreds of municipalities” within the Palmetto State over the agency’s alleged mismanagement of a controversial federal grant program. In fact several local leaders tell FITS they are prepared to call for a federal probe into the disappearance of millions of dollars sent to the agency – while one SCDOT whistleblower tells FITS she is ready to cooperate with such an investigation.
“The money they sent us – it’s gone,” she told us.
Wait … what?
Which money? And how much?
“Millions of dollars,” she said.
According to our source, SCDOT has been stiffing local governments for the last four years in the wake of its epidemic cash crunches. One of its favorite methods of administering the shaft? Collecting money from local governments under the auspices of TEA-21 grants – but then failing to do the work associated with the projects.
“TEA-21” grants refer to money administered by the federal government under the statutes of the “Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century” – which passed the U.S. Congress and was signed into law by president Bill Clinton back in 1998. The law expired in 2003, but its grants continue to be awarded.
In fact TEA-21 money has flowed to one of South Carolina’s most infamous boondoggles – the Jim Clyburn Transportation Center at S.C. State University (which has yet to be built).
Of course it’s where this money “isn’t” going that’s starting to raise red flags …
According to one local government official, SCDOT recently informed his municipality that it didn’t have tens of thousands of dollars collected over the past four years for a specific transportation project.
Eighty percent of the funding for the project was supposed to come from grant money – with the local government picking up 20 percent of the tab.
“We gave money to the DOT over a period of time as our share of the cost,” the leader told FITS.
The only problem? The local government’s share of the costs quickly bypassed the 20 percent threshold – and then the fifty percent threshold – without the project even being undertaken, let alone completed.
“They finally came back with a request for an amount exceeding the initial cost of the project – so we said ‘no, give us our money back’ and that’s when they said they didn’t have it,” the official said.
Whoa …
Our SCDOT whistleblower then referred us to several other municipalities dealing with similar situations.
“It’s rampant,” she said. “It’s bordering on standard operating procedure.”
FITS has been provided with specific dollar amounts related to at least four municipal projects that were never completed – in which SCDOT has been asked to reimburse the local government in question for previously expended funds (and been unable to do so). We’re told this is just a “sampling” of a much bigger problem.
“It’s statewide,” our source says.
Wow …
We’ve weighed in on several previous occasions regarding the state’s current infrastructure situation (and various ill-conceived efforts to resolve it via tax hikes) – but it’s safe to say this development could throw a sizable wrench into everyone’s calculations.
Stay tuned … we look forward to providing additional information on this story very soon.
54 comments
I thought Haley was going to bring her vaunted “business acumen” to state government? When will that happen? Been waiting four years already.
She’s going to make South Carolina as successful as Exotica.
Isn’t Exotica out of business – oh, wait…
Not to worry. The idiots who make up the majority of SC’s electorate saw to it that she gets a four year extension in which to try some more. Thank God for gubernatorial term limits!!!!
SC needs to get back to the one term…FAST.
Can anybody say off-shore accounts????????????????????????????
Noticed a Twitter-based study out yesterday identifying people in South Carolina and Mississippi as the stupidest in the U.S. Just one little study, though . . .
I 20 and or I 95 will allow you to escape and move to more learned areas of the US. Bye.
And miss this entertainment? Not a chance.
http://www.thestate.com/2015/01/27/3953801/exclusive-lawmaker-asks-would.html
“…bring her…. ‘business acumen’ to state government..”
I do believe you have misquoted the Gypsy Queen and in fact she has been doing exactly what she said she would do
Her actual quote was she was going to make business cum just like she did skippy
Now you have proof she has been fucking over local governments and that they in fact have cum up with butt loads of money for her and her buddies to spend on their pet projects
Nothing funnier than a self loathing SC liberal.
“I continue to live here, but SC and it’s government totally suck. It has for decades, but God forbid I actually move or better my life. It’s easier to stay here, constantly whine and watch republican after republican get re-elected. Why do things suck!??”
How fucking sad…
Yeah, why don’t you liberals leave us so we can wallow in our pig pen in peace?!
My thinking exactly. That’s why I left. Looks like the pigs are having the times of their lives.
She DID. She’s allowed the private contractors to run up bills while missing deadlines. It all comes down to failure to manage the contractors and hold them responsible for completing work in a timely manner. Not unusual for a company to pull half the manpower from one project (causing delays) to start on another newly-awarded contract. Companies don’t care… they’ve got the angle covered.
Wait four more years. Then wait for the next republican governor, then the next. Waiting sure as hell is easier than actually doing something about it ;-)
I wish people would stop bitching. Roads are fine, DOT is the most fiscal agency in government, both the DHEC and DSS directors should immediately be confirmed!!!! The people of this state should get exactly what the f&@$c they voted for!!!!! Enjoy your shitty roads, dead children, polluted air and no jobs except for the ones you may purchase from the governor :)
FITS tells us to put all of our faith in the government, like he did working for Sanford….then he S#!t$ his pants when government screws him over…
Hey FITS…get off your lazy @$$ and do it yourself. QUIT looking to the gov’t to give you a hand-out…
I could have told you Obama was LYING when he said he was going to make America a liberal, give-away Utopia…
Now $9 Trillion later, you’re figuring out you’ve been a Dumb-F*#k Dupe for 6-plus years…
Good for ya….and all the idiots who bought your Bull-S#!t…you deserve what you get…
My GrandTango you have such class, an incredible vocabulary and a complete and total understanding of politics. Where did you get your education?
Again, because this website has been so “pro-Obama.” Talk to Nikki about being pro-Obama. She is … at least on this issue … https://www.fitsnews.com/2011/08/17/nikki-haley-gets-her-federal-bailout/
While you offer an obligatory swipe at Obama on occasion, when his failure manifests too large to ignore…you were very quiet before the 2012 election, when outing him was most needed…
And you bashed Romney unmercifully.
That is in effect an endorsement of and compliance with Obama….
While all you do is find a way to BLAME everything on Haley…when it’s just difficult to logically do that…
Meanwhile, at SCPD…
“While all you do is find a way to BLAME everything on Obama & Tim Tebow haters…when it’s just difficult to logically do that…”
fixed that for you
You left out the Democrats…and the TRUTH is (and what you HATE) is that you have F*#ked up everything. You get so p!$$#d at me because you’re not used to anyone telling you what you are…Thank goodness the voters salpped you upside the head on Nov. 4…’so it’s just difficult to logically’ DENY that now…
Thanks for letting me know you HATE a person if he happens to be a Christian. I did not know you were in that group…But that is narrow-minded….and a trait of the party (Democrats) known for its RACISM!!!!
Maybe Haley can show Obama how tax hikes are done? Obama needs to step back and watch how a professional liberal like Haley screws the taxpayer.
What
Haley tax hike? Can you be specific?
Because Obamacare cost my family $4,000 this year…and it has not even kicked in, FULLY…
I’ve paid at least $1,200 more a year in gasoline prices for SIX years under Obama…and another $1,400 increase a year in utility bills for SIX years…
That’s a H#LL of a hit when incomes have decreased and jobs are hard to come by…and I did not even mention the astronomical rise in groceries under Obama, and the loss I took on the sale of a house…
This is what will happen to our money if we let traitor Haley almost double our gas tax. I wish Haley had told us she was a tax and spend liberal, maybe Sheheen would have asked to be her Lt. Governor! And to think some of the “conservatives” will defend her!
“It’s rampant,” [SCDOT whistleblower] said. “It’s bordering on standard operating procedure. …”
Don’t think SC is alone. Out here in Taxifornia, it is SOP to take money from whatever source, then covertly use it for something else … like fattening pensions for CalTrans union workers and “engineers” and to finance eminent domain seizures, plug the leaks in big project cost overruns and generally whatever the “progressive” Fascists in state or fed Gruberment want.
Consider the vast sums for the LA “light” rail services. CalTrans (and LA County) stole vast sums to coverup the cost overruns … and They are doing the same (again) with the half fast “high speed” railroad from nowhere to nowhere while putting the slow-down / stop-gap to all of the 16 year old (!) Northern Taxifornia highway 101 projects, diverting the TEA-21 funds, etc. to bus and rail busy work.
This is creeping meatballism at its worst: unaccountable “transportation” spending activities in the several states. It is against the laws of most states (and the fed RICO statutes = group/agency/gang/union collusion to perpetrate financial fraud), but don’t expect too much action from prosecutors unless the vast bags of cash wind up in politicians hands.
How is that SC empty school bus program going?
I always like the “cost overruns” excuse. It means the project was under bid and they are going to charge the federal/state/local government more and no one will hold their asses to the fire and make them complete the project at the agreed upon cost. Know if I don’t fulfill my contractual obligations, I out of luck.
The half fast “high speed” rail projects being touted on the eastern seaboard, Colorado and Taxifornia are all One Giant Cost Over Run.
1) In every case, “high speed” passenger rail services are: less than half the speed of jet and turbo-prop airliners.
2) In every case projected ridership of “high speed” passenger rail service is Exaggerated, Gruberized and outright lies.
3) In every case Gruberment has already factored in “cost over runs” in the prospectuses, and are covertly planning on more cost over runs on top of those.
4) Half Fast “High Speed” Passenger Rail Services are NOT Green. Some of those Gruberment fools are actually planning to power these granfalloons with electricity, which is three times as environmentally dirty than natural gas and twice as dirty as diesel.
I love how she is the only one with a hardhat on her head.
Did they let her ride in the truck?
Maybe they let her f#ck in the truck.
Will Folks didn’t even claim that. All he claims is an SUV.
So she dropped her drawers in public? How classy.
Text messages and phone logs proves nothing.
You are correct. That being said, Nikki should woman up and sue Will for slander and libel.
First, burden of proof. You can’t prove he lied. He doesn’t have to prove he told the truth.
Second, Will does not own enough to make it worth while for a lawyer.
Third, no one believes him anyway. It hasn’t hurt her at all. Why dredge it up in the media again?
HUNTSVILLE, AL (WSFA) – Minnesota-based Polaris Industries, Inc. announced Friday that it will expand its business by building a new 600,000 square-feet production facility in Alabama. The company made the decision to build on a 453-acre site in Alabama because it wants to provide added capacity and flexibility as it rapidly expands. The new plant should employ approximately 1,700 once it’s at full operation, according to Polaris.
The company said in a news release that it chose the Rocket City because of, “its skilled workforce, history of technology and innovation, existing utility infrastructure, and strong local and state resources supporting economic development.”
Well, well. Technology, innovation, infrastructure – skilled workers – man – SC was out of this one on day one. Great job Haley – quickly taking SC to 49th, just above MS and below LA.
South Carolina has got Alabama beat. We are faster growing, have higher worker participation rate and employment rate.
http://www.bls.gov/lau/ststdsadata.txt
We beat Alabama in median as we in as per capita income.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_income
We will be surpassing Alabama in population this year.
Better weather, prettier girls, better football (sometimes), better fishing … lower taxes? Not so much. … Better schools?
“South Carolina has got Alabama beat.”
Now, there’s something to hang your hat on.
It’sa start.
The SCDOT, from what I have seen and read, has gone on a traffic circle binge at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars each, at least.
At the intersection where one was constructed in my town – it took months to complete – a 4-way stop would have been way, way, way cheaper, safer and done a better job of slowing the traffic on a raceway of a road in front of a school.
Does anyone know why SCDOT has become mesmerized with the traffic circle concept, particularly at a time when money is so short?
Oh, please don’t tell me it’s the crony capitalism of the SCDOT contractors making campaign contributions to Haley and other members of the SCGOP…
Anyone tracking campaign contributions from state contractors?
“Does anyone know why SCDOT has become mesmerized with the traffic circle concept, particularly at a time when money is so short?”
My guess is because it’s cheaper than traffic lights at higher volume intersections, where stop signs wouldn’t work well.
Traffic circles in S. America & Europe work really well, but the populace is more accustomed to using them than here so they are better at keeping traffic moving.
Hey look kid! There’s Big Ben, and there’s Parliament.
.
.
Ha! Big Ben…………Parliament!
I don’t know. They built one in the middle of nowhere in Darlington. It is too small as you can see the big rigs ride over the curbs and leave tire tracks. Would have been better with rumble strips and 4 way stop.
SCDOT, where if one person gets a raise, everybody gets a raise. Take a look at their salaries sorted by job title, almost everyone within a title makes the same amount regardless of experience.
Where’s all the stupid shits crying out for more dollars/higher taxes to go to the SCDOT like other threads/write ups?
Crickets, you assholes?
Its all about hiding the money to get Haley relected which was done. Cook them books like a pot roast.
Comment or shouldn’t get so worked up. There is no reason to believe any of this. FITS is notorious for creating stories and making up “sources” to validate.
I was told directly by an SCDOT employee that if a municipality didn’t have an engineer on staff, that SCDOT was obligated to manage these projects. Smaller municipalities, and even larger ones, will retain private firms to limit overhead costs by only using the engineers when necessary, avoiding long-term employee costs(health insurance, retirement, etc.). I was told to add 30%, at minimum, to the project cost due to the SCDOT management.
Pursuing this grant money just isn’t worth it.
I guess Harrell spilled all his beans and Haley is clear and free now for another four years of bilking this state. I wish the Feds would come in here and clean house.
Haley just agreed on his proposition.$50 bucks an inch.
I wanna know why I’m only learning about these things on this site. Fits news seems to be the only place that gets to the truth around South Carolina. What the whatity what ?!?
Cmon people. Why can’t we investigate the scdot?!?
Where are the Woodward and Bernstein dudes?!?
Somebody expose these crooks
Then again Boss Hogg James R Metts shafted the Lexington rubes for 40 years and just finally got caught
I cannot expect anything better of you dullards
But I call on some bold maverick to investigate the south Carolina dept of transportation.
Make the effort.
Tax dollars in this state are hard earned
Make the money we are taxed go to the things they’re supposed to
End this corruption
Or a pox on all your children.