No Result
View All Result
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
Smart Investment Today
  • News
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Investing
  • Stock
  • News
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Investing
  • Stock
No Result
View All Result
Smart Investment Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Editor's Pick

Local Government Corruption

by
September 25, 2024
in Editor's Pick
0
Local Government Corruption
0
SHARES
7
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Chris Edwards

Some American cities are rife with corruption. A key problem is the large volume and complexity of permitting, licensing, and zoning regulations, and the discretion it gives to officials to accept, reject, speed up, or slow down approvals.

A scandal in New York City highlights the problem. On September 23, federal prosecutors indicted two former fire chiefs for taking bribes to speed safety reviews. The indictment charges the pair with “taking over $190,000 in bribes as part of a scheme they are alleged to have engaged in while they were running the department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention.”

The pair teamed with

a retired firefighter who had an “expediting” business that offered businesses help with the process, the indictment says. The chiefs secretly partnered with the expediter, helping businesses working with him to get faster attention in the backlogged system, in which applicants are supposed to be dealt with on a first-come, first-served business, authorities alleged. In return, they got 30% of the expediter’s money, the indictment says. The chiefs, who were each making over $250,000 a year from the department, “let some people cut to the front of the line,” Williams said, “a VIP line that could only be accessed by bribes.”

In New York City, permitting and licensing have been scandal-plagued for decades. The New York Police Department was engulfed in a scandal a few years ago that involved cops speeding up slow approvals for gun licenses in exchange for cash and gifts. 

A former New York prosecutor pointed to the slow and complex bureaucracy as a cause of corruption: “We have a system where they only handle so many (permit applications) per day. … The rules are arcane, and you have to hire someone for $1,500 to get a basic permit from your own government. That’s idiotic.”

An even more fundamental problem is that the city’s bureaucracies demand so many different permits, licenses, and approvals in the first place. A study by NYC’s comptroller found that businesses are subject to more than 6,000 regulations and that 15 city agencies impose 250 different licenses and permits. Nearly a third of new businesses in the city report waiting six months or longer to obtain needed approvals to open, and businesses get little feedback from the bureaucracies while they wait.

This is a perfect breeding ground for corruption. Time is money, and so businesses are tempted to bribe officials to speed approvals. Fire safety reviews are important but does the city really need to impose 250 different approval systems on businesses? The city should set a target of cutting the number in half and then speeding up the remaining systems with the freed-up resources.

Local permitting and corruption are discussed further in this Cato study.

Previous Post

Latest Attempt to Restore Financial Privacy: the Saving Privacy Act

Next Post

Trump’s Tariff Threats a Reminder of the Need to Curb Presidential Power

Next Post
Trump’s Tariff Threats a Reminder of the Need to Curb Presidential Power

Trump's Tariff Threats a Reminder of the Need to Curb Presidential Power

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    • Trending
    • Comments
    • Latest

    Gold Prices Rise as the Dollar Slowly Dies

    May 25, 2024

    Richard Murphy, The Bank of England, And MMT Confusion

    March 15, 2025

    We Can’t Fix International Organizations like the WTO. Abolish Them.

    March 15, 2025

    Free Markets Promote Peaceful Cooperation and Racial Harmony

    March 15, 2025

    ClicData acquisition boosts TeamSystem’s capabilities in Business Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Analytics

    0

    Ana-Maria Coaching Marks Milestone with New Book Release

    0

    The Consequences of California’s New Minimum Wage Law

    0

    Memorial Day

    0

    ClicData acquisition boosts TeamSystem’s capabilities in Business Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Analytics

    July 4, 2025

    Global Charity Fundraising by realbuzz Surpasses £12.6M

    July 4, 2025

    New Food Waste Regulations Bring Warning to Small Businesses

    July 4, 2025

    Warframe Players Get Revolutionary Overframe Desktop App from M.O.B.A. Network Launch

    July 4, 2025

    Recent News

    ClicData acquisition boosts TeamSystem’s capabilities in Business Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Analytics

    July 4, 2025

    Global Charity Fundraising by realbuzz Surpasses £12.6M

    July 4, 2025

    New Food Waste Regulations Bring Warning to Small Businesses

    July 4, 2025

    Warframe Players Get Revolutionary Overframe Desktop App from M.O.B.A. Network Launch

    July 4, 2025
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Copyright © 2025 smartinvestmenttoday.com | All Rights Reserved

    No Result
    View All Result
    • News
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick
    • Investing
    • Stock

    Copyright © 2025 smartinvestmenttoday.com | All Rights Reserved