Monday, May 04, 2009

The Patricof Family, One Cog In The Corrupt City Apparatus

Walking on the streets of New York City, it is nearly impossible to miss the orange envelopes marring the windshields of parked cars from Lower Manhattan to Riverdale and from the Westside to Little Neck. What most people do not see, except for those that wish to contest their fines, are the parking judges that determine whether to drop, reduce or leave the fine as is. One of these judges is Allan J Patricof and he is makes more than any of his fellows on the "parking" benches. If you're wondering why, all you have to do is ask his wife Rochelle, who determines salaries for the court.

From The NY Times:

According to city records, the judge, Allan J. Patricof, earned $110,472 in 2006, the same year that city investigators found that he had submitted time sheets for some hours when he was not at work. Mr. Patricof is married to Rochelle Patricof, the deputy finance commissioner.

Mr. Patricof’s earnings were $20,000 more than any of the other 145 administrative law judges who hear ticket cases for the agency. In 2007, Mr. Patricof earned $84,687.24, also more than any other parking judge.

The department said it had yet to calculate how much the judges earned in 2008. It has said the deputy commissioner does not have a role in overseeing the hours assigned to parking judges.
There are so many problems with this situation and they aren't all centered on the Patricof's.

First of all, both Allan and Rochelle each need to be fired and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Unless he's a true workaholic, those hours he billed are just a little bit unbelievable. The next most busy judge billed 381 hours less. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to deduct what Patricof was up to. The fact that he got away with it and that is wife is Deputy Finance Commissioner aren't hard to put together, and neither will it be for a jury.

Then there's the system that must be considered. The department denies the deputy commissioner plays a role in overseeing hours. That's a crock of the foulest smelling shit I've ever heard. She may not have officially signed off on his time sheet but an indirect connection isn't hard to find. For the department to try and deny it shows just how they feel about New Yorkers' intelligence and knowwithall about how the city works.

As for the Conflict of Interests Board.....for them to approve of Mr. Patricof to be in this position considering where Mrs. Patricof sits, is completely proposterious. I don't think they could find a conflict of interest if it slapped them in the face and hit them upside the head.