 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Scandal leads city to call for disclosure
By CHRISTOPHER GOFFARD
© St. Petersburg Times, TAMPA -- In the wake of a scandal involving Tampa's housing chief and a non-profit group that receives millions in city dollars, the city will investigate whether it can compel directors of such groups to lay bare their finances. Council chairman Charlie Miranda said he supported making non-profit directors file financial disclosure forms. "If they don't want to do it, adios," he said. The council asked the city attorney's office to look into how far it could go in requiring disclosures. The move follows revelations about questionable links between the Tampa-Hillsborough Action Plan, THAP, a non-profit group that builds low-income housing, and city employees Steve LaBrake and Lynne McCarter. LaBrake, the city's housing chief, has authorized millions in city contracts to THAP. It was THAP that incurred the expense of moving an old home from a South Tampa lot where LaBrake and McCarter, his girlfriend and top aide, are building a new home. That saved LaBrake and McCarter thousands in demolition fees. Further, THAP is paying McCarter $18,750 to supply "gift bags" to first-time homeowners. State and federal investigators are looking into these connections, as well as whether McCarter and LaBrake used their influence to get a cut-rate price on the South Tampa home. Chet Luney, a THAP director, has not returned repeated calls from the Times seeking comment. Council member Bob Buckhorn praised the work non-profits do in supplying homes for the poor, but added: "We just need to make sure it's all above board." Buckhorn is also calling for an anti-fraternization policy that prohibits supervisors from dating their employees, as LaBrake did with McCarter. -- Christopher Goffard can be reached at (813) 226-3337 or goffard@sptimes.com.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times |
