[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=17410

Police interview McDaniel

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

White-collar crime unit investigating if county assessor reduced assessment of some of her property.

LA PORTE - A report on an Indiana State Police investigation of La Porte County Assessor Carol McDaniel will be turned over to La Porte County Prosecutor Robert Beckman in a few weeks, according to the Indiana State Police detective in charge of the months-long investigation.

Steve Nash, a detective with the white collar crime unit in the Special Investigation Section of the Indiana State Police, said it's up to Beckman to decide what charges, if any, will be made against McDaniel.

Nash said his fact-finding was complete following his interview with McDaniel in her office on Sept. 11. Representatives of the State Board of Accounts were also at the meeting.

"There was some delay in unforeseen information to finish the last segment of my case," Nash said. He said his report to Beckman will include Indiana Criminal Code violations but he wouldn't be specific.

The investigation was triggered when Commissioner Mike Bohacek, D-Michiana Shores, turned over information in May indicating McDaniel used her position as assessor to reduce an assessment of a third an acre located next to her residence. Bohacek contacted Beckman, who referred him to the state police.

According to Bohacek, he became concerned during a property appeal hearing with the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals. A Lake Shore Drive resident has challenged assessments on property adjacent to his home that is classified as "excess residential acreage."

The property owner felt the assessment was too high because it was assessed at its full value rather than a lower rate given for excess residential acreage. In his defense, La Porte attorney Brad Adamski presented a property card for a third of an acre of "excess residential acreage" owned by Carol and John McDaniel with a value of $500. Nexus had valued the parcel at $5,400. All members of the PTABOA voted in favor of the property owner, except for McDaniel.

Bohacek said he learned that McDaniel allegedly told an employee in the assessor's office to alter the property card, changing it to $500. The employee signed an affidavit and said that information was turned over to the state police.

"I was concerned about the integrity of the tax system," Bohacek said, "and I wanted to make sure the employee was protected."

Bohacek felt McDaniel's actions constituted "at least a misdemeanor."

This is not the first time McDaniel has been the target of a state investigation. Before she was re-elected in 2006, McDaniel was asked by State Board of Accounts to account for cash received by her office but not reported to the county auditor.

After first telling state auditors her office didn't take cash or write receipts, she changed her story when investigators found receipt books in the assessor's office and employees said receipts were issued for cash payments. McDaniel was required to repay $601 that she admitted hadn't been properly accounted for, as legally required.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against McDaniel by county property owners challenging the fairness of county-wide assessments and the no-bid process McDaniel used to get Nexus hired on a multi-year contract.

Reports produced by a property tax and assessment consultant and submitted to the state Department of Local Government Finance and a DLGF public hearing in La Porte County led the DLGF to order retrending of all county property for the 2006 pay 2007 tax bills.



Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.

[JHeath]

wow.

[ChickenCityRoller]

I told you the follow up to the ASSESSOR OF THE YEAR story would be a good one, lol.

[Southsider2k12]

I will point out that I was glad to see that there was an honest person in this mess who did the right thing and revealed the misdoings in the office. Crazy thought, but after seeing Friedman's assessed value of his place, I wonder if he is connected in this at all?

[ChickenCityRoller]

Crazy thought, but after seeing Friedman's assessed value of his place, I wonder if he is connected in this at all?

You're kidding, right?

[Roger Kaputnik]

Bohacek is not exactly a neutral, good citizen just doing his civic duty.

[ChickenCityRoller]

Bohacek is not exactly a neutral, good citizen just doing his civic duty.

Please elaborate.

[Ang]

I think SSder is on to something concerning Friedman. He has been such a staunch supporter of McDaniel so it makes me wonder if she changed HIS assessment card too.

[Southsider2k12]

I think SSder is on to something concerning Friedman. He has been such a staunch supporter of McDaniel so it makes me wonder if she changed HIS assessment card too.

Getting past all of the who supports who stuff, this thread might be worth looking at again in the context of this new information.

http://www.citybythelake.org/forums/index....190&hl=shaw

[ChickenCityRoller]

I think SSder is on to something concerning Friedman. He has been such a staunch supporter of McDaniel so it makes me wonder if she changed HIS assessment card too.

this is all too funny to me. Hello!! OVER HERE! lol

[Roger Kaputnik]

Please elaborate.

Just do a search for his name in the other assessor controversy threads.

[Dave]

If I was Detective Nash, I think I'd be checking the assessed values of the real estate in LaPorte County of each and every elected and appointed official, to see if there may have been some kind of quid - pro - quo for McDaniels continued support by local officials.

And it seems to me that if Prosecutor Beckman exercises prosecutorial discretion and doesn't indict McDaniels, he'd better come up with an ironclad reason not to do so, and he'd better announce it publicly -- at this point he should feel like the Indiana Attorney General's office and the US Attorney's office are looking over his shoulder at what he's doing.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Right on, on both points.

[stop 39]

Bohacek is not exactly a neutral, good citizen just doing his civic duty.

Hi Roger I'm Mike please tell me why I am not a neutral citizen just doing the job that I was elected to do? I followed your advise and searched my name on this site and you called my wife "my squeeze" very rude, shame on you. I will except your explaination of your above claim as your apology.
Thanks Mike B

[Roger Kaputnik]

First off, I am not apologizing nor accepting your characterization. Second, you seem to have a nut against the assessor; granted, that may be my own inference.

I will refrain from correcting your grammar and diction.




Now, let's get back to the topic at hand, viz., Mrs. McDaniel's being questioned for alleged wrongdoing.

[Michelle]

I told you the follow up to the ASSESSOR OF THE YEAR story would be a good one, lol.

You were right! This is better than Law & Order ::gets popcorn::

In a very serious way, of course.

[stop 39]

First off, I am not apologizing nor accepting your characterization. Second, you seem to have a nut against the assessor; granted, that may be my own inference.

I will refrain from correcting your grammar and diction.
Now, let's get back to the topic at hand, viz., Mrs. McDaniel's being questioned for alleged wrongdoing.

Roger if you can't explain yourself in a cogent manner and defend your allegations then please simply correct my grammer and diction. Still no apology to my wife?
Mike

[Dave]

Still no apology to my wife?

Huh?

For what? "Squeeze"? "Squeeze" has meant "romantic partner" for quite a while, and I don't actually recall it having any negative connotations. Slangy, yes; negative, no. And after looking at several online dictionaries, I still can't find negative connotations. "Main squeeze" appears to originate in 1898, with the meaning of "big boss".

Link for "main squeeze".

I will say this, though: if you're in any way, shape, or form responsible for this newest addition to the County Assessor's resumé, my hat's off to ya.

This post has been edited by Dave: Sep 17 2008, 10:23 PM

[ChickenCityRoller]

First off, I am not apologizing nor accepting your characterization. Second, you seem to have a nut against the assessor; granted, that may be my own inference.

I will refrain from correcting your grammar and diction.




Now, let's get back to the topic at hand, viz., Mrs. McDaniel's being questioned for alleged wrongdoing.

Ummm... HELLO!?!?!?! ROGER, of course he has a nut against the assessor. I have to straight out ask you, are you dense or are you simply a blind folded bomb thrower?

As if her not performing the job she's paid quite well to do isn't enough reason to be peeved, she's a crook who used her elected position for her benefit. I'm convinced that Mike B. is one of the only politicians (and citizen) who has their head screwed on all the way. He should be lauded for having the guts and gumption to take on this deep-seated corruption which everyone has become so accustomed to.

[Michelle]

Wowzers, it gets heated in a hurry. In that spirit, may I suggest pistols at dawn?