Politics Should not Take Precedence Over Integrity

October 2, 2006

Dear Editor,

This letter is in response to your article title, “Accounting for Past Mistakes” published on September 27, 2006.

In your article you revealed that Barry A Snell is a candidate for the School Board who is running to bring “fiscal stability” but is in trouble with the State Accountancy Board for “violating the terms of his probation in that he failed to obey all federal, state, and local laws, including those rules relating to the practice of public accountancy in California.”

“He also failed to maintain an active license and failed to make scheduled cost reimbursement payments,” states a report on the state board of accountancy’s website.

Mr. Snell and others have attempted to downplay the seriousness of this matter by claiming that it was a simple “mistake.” I can understand people missing deadlines but I can’t trust a CPA that misses important deadlines.

In fact Greg Newington, chief of enforcement for the division of the Certified Board of Accountancy for California stated, “We file accusations in the neighborhood of 25 to 40 every year… so he made that subset, which is significant considering we have about 70,000 CPA’s we monitor in California.”

Based on these findings of fact, Mr. Snell should do what is right and run for office when he clears his probation. Politics should not take precedence over the integrity of our public school system and the children who benefit from it.

I am a supporter of our public schools but I will not vote for Measure BB or any future parcel tax knowing that Mr. Snell will have anything to do with overseeing my tax dollars. Aside from being on probation, Mr. Snell is deceitful when he states, “ Actually, I’m glad that someone is asking me the question, and now everyone knows.”

He should have been honest from the beginning with those who endorsed him not knowing this little secret he tried to hide. Aside from his own career, as a School Board member Mr. Snell will compromise the ability of the school district to ask the voters for more money in November and beyond.

Jeff Harrington