WBFF Waste Watch

City Board Approves $100M Tax Break For Energy Giant Headquarters

Mon, May 20 2013, 10:04 PM EDT

A development deal that is asking for more than a $100 million tax break to build a corporate headquarters for energy giant Exelon is stirring controversy after the board that approved it refused to release any details about it.

Maryland Public Interest Group is one of the many to call into a question a common city practice of granting big tax breaks, known as TIFs, to benefit development projects in Baltimore. ...

Baltimore City's $100 Million Secret

Wed, May 15 2013, 11:24 PM EDT

Are Maryland Lawmakers Taking Vacations on Your Dime?

Thu, May 09 2013, 03:28 PM EDT

These days many businesses choose to provide their loyal customers with special benefits, often referred to as "rewards." Credit card companies, airlines, hotels - and right now there may be several Maryland lawmakers planning vacations that they’ll pay with using rewards they earned while staying at hotels during the legislative session. ...

Whistleblower Says Free Phone Programs Out of Control

Wed, May 01 2013, 02:12 PM EDT

When it comes to abuse of the government's free cell-phone program, Maryland is a leader. ...

Maryland top abuser of free phone program

Thu, Apr 25 2013, 10:23 PM EDT

Maryland was cited as one of the biggest abusers of a controversial federal program which funds cell phones for people already receiving government aid.

During a hearing of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, experts said the number of recipients of free phones in Maryland was nearly twice the number that should be eligible. ...

Baltimore Leaders Considering Tax Break For New Exelon Headquarters

Wed, Apr 17 2013, 10:50 PM EDT

City leaders will soon decide whether to grant another huge tax break to a major developer that could wind up costing taxpayers several millions of dollars.

Harbor East has plans to grow again and will soon become the headquarters of Exelon, the energy company that brought in $23 million last year. ...

City Police Seeking Consultant to Improve Operations

Wed, Apr 17 2013, 10:50 PM EDT

The Baltimore Police Department is looking to hire a consultation firm to come up with a plan to make the department more effective.

The Baltimore City Police Department is seeking $285,000 to hire a firm called Strategic Policy Partnership. The company would be given the task of coming up with a strategic plan for the department to improve operations. ...

FOX45 Waste Watch Investigation Prompts Federal Investigation

Wed, Apr 10 2013, 10:13 PM EDT

A FOX 45 waste watch investigation into a federal phone giveaway has prompted congressional action.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled a hearing later this month to review allegations of waste and abuse of program called Lifeline which offers free cell phones to people already on public assistance. ...

Money Meant for Crime Victims Being Put Into State Fund

Mon, Apr 01 2013, 11:08 PM EDT

A Fox45 investigation has revealed that millions of dollars meant for crime victims is being put into a state fund at the expense of taxpayers.

Fox 45 uncovered millions of dollars in restitution the Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services has failed to disburse to crime victims. ...

City Hotel Costing Taxpayers

Thu, Mar 14 2013, 10:17 PM EDT

A questionable hotel that the city spent hundreds of millions of dollars to build is causing more problems for taxpayers.

The city got into the hotel business five years ago when it used $300 million in city backed bonds to pay for the Hilton. And even though the convention center hotel opened during the height of the recession, city developers repeatedly assured taxpayers that it was on sound financial ground. ...

Federal Employees Not Paying Taxes

Tue, Mar 12 2013, 10:24 PM EDT

A new IRS report shows that federal workers are skipping on their taxes and owe more than $3.5 billion in back taxes.

The new report shows 312,000 federal workers and retirees missed paying their taxes on time in 2011, an uptick of about 12 percent compared to 2010. ...

Overhaul of State's Rescue Helicopter Fleet Sparks Controversy

Thu, Feb 28 2013, 09:30 PM EDT

An overhaul of the state's medevac and rescue fleet has sparked controversy. New helicopters purchased to replace an existing fleet that is raising questions about safety and if the state made the best deal for taxpayers.

It was a high profile arrival touted as a cause for celebration. ...

Millions Caught Abusing Federal Phone Program

Thu, Feb 21 2013, 03:30 PM EDT

Next time you pay your cell phone bill, you may want to take a closer look at a charge called a universal access or service fee. The charge is money you pay so that people can have free cell phones. Now, a new report says that money may have been wasted.

The phones are obtained through a federal program called Lifeline funded by a charged on your cell phone bill that has handed out free phones to nearly 18 million people already receiving federal assistance. ...

As Gas Tax Increase Looms, Highway Employees Party

Wed, Feb 13 2013, 11:34 PM EDT

As state leaders ponder raising the gas tax, Fox 45 has learned the agency which would spend the money shelled out thousands of taxpayer dollars for employees to attend a downtown conference.

The State Department of Transportation shelled out $60,000 last month for roughly 250 employees to attend a training conference at the Baltimore Hilton which included meals, an open bar party, and a Pinewood Derby competition. ...

Computer Programs Making It Difficult for Veterans to Obtain Benefits

Fri, Feb 08 2013, 08:12 PM EDT

A flawed computer program is making life difficult for potentially millions of veterans. A new, nearly 300 million dollar digital system was supposed to speed up claims.

After they come home Veterans known battle is still looming when it comes to obtaining benefits from the VA. ...

Ignored State Police Helicopter Proposal Could Have Saved Taxpayers Millions

Wed, Feb 06 2013, 11:32 PM EDT

The Maryland State Police are planning to take delivery of 12 new state of the art helicopters with heavy price tags this month. But a Fox45 investigation shows that there was a cheaper alternative proposed to state officials that would have saved taxpayers millions of dollars. ...

City Taxpayers Funding Take-Home Vehicles For City Employees

Fri, Feb 01 2013, 07:41 PM EDT

Should city taxpayers fund take-home vehicles that some employees are driving out of state?

FOX45 heard from one councilman who is trying to put the brakes on a program that he says is wasting millions.

“I’m not going to subsidize their travel, and that’s the part I’m frustrated with," said City Councilman Bill Cole frustrated. ...

Costs of New State Police Helicopter Adding Up

Thu, Jan 31 2013, 08:20 PM EDT

Maryland State police will take ownership of six new state-of-the-art helicopters this year, with another six more to come. The helicopters were supposed to cost 12-million dollars each, but a FOX45 News investigation shows unadvertised costs could add millions of dollars to the final price. ...

Medevac Helicopters Safety in Question

Thu, Jan 31 2013, 10:45 AM EDT

The new Maryland State Police helicopters used for saving lives, search and rescues, and law enforcement could add millions of dollars of costs to taxpayers.

In 2010, the state agreed to buy six brand new State Police helicopters for $14 million apiece. ...

City Council Calling for Audit Following Waste Watch Investigations

Mon, Jan 07 2013, 11:18 PM EDT

After a series of Fox45 Waste Watch investigations, Baltimore City Councilman Carl Stokes says he's had enough.

Stokes says wasteful spending on a convention center hotel and payouts to city employees to compensate for injuries needs a closer look. ...