Should Brad Miller Continue to Lead PSTA?

By: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Pinellas County, Florida - Brad Miller, PSTA CEOs’ recent hasty return of Federal Grant funds misused to promote the GreenLight sales tax referendum has raised some serious questions. In response to a series of Public Records Requests, the Suncoast Public Transit Authority show how the decision to refund $354,090.67 to FEMA came about.

A letter from FEMA dated August 24, 2014 to Brad Miller PSTA CEO says in part:

“Further, because FEMA has determined that the expenses related to these advertisements are not properly chargeable to EMW-2011-RA-00090, it is inaccurate to claim that these advertisements are “Paid for in part by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.” Please immediately cease and desist from making the above claim, or any other similarly worded statement, in these advertisements. If PSTA wishes to continue this advertising on its buses, on billboards, and through television, YouTube, radio, and advertisements through any other medium, it must remove all references to DHS funding immediately.”

You can read the full FEMA letter here: FEMA Letter to Brad Miller

It remains unclear why Brad Miller is so intent on using his office and the organization he is charged with overseeing as a political tool to get the sales tax referendum approved. It becomes even more difficult to understand when you consider massive amount of private money assembled to support the GreenLight Plan.

Why take these unnecessary risks?

Miller’s continuing efforts to skirt the rules regarding PSTA political participation in the sales tax referendum have seriously eroded the credibility of PSTA.

There are a host of questions that need to be answered.
1. Why the need to move so quickly on the refund?
2. Did Brad Miller violate the PSTA Code of Ethics by issuing the Grant refund Check without approval?
3 If he violated the Code of ethics should he be terminated?
4. What role, if any did Board Chairman Ken Welch play in this matter?
5. What role if any did Greenlight Yes have in the decision to quickly repay the FEMA Grant?
6. Can an after the fact approval by the Board of Directors legally fix the problem?
7. Can PSTA funds legally be used to indirectly pay for these Greenlight ads?
8. Can Brad Miller be trusted to run PSTA in a legal and ethical manner?
9. Should the Department of Transportation take another look at how PSTA is spending its funds?
10. Should the State Attorney General open a criminal investigation into Mr. Miller and his conduct with state and federal funds?

The PSTA Board of Directors must stop rubber stamping everything Miller and Welch bring to the table, get some back bone and take some responsibility.

It is time for a full blown independent investigation and audit of PSTA’s, leadership and financial dealings.

There need to be some changes at PSTA and they need to be made quickly.

You can read my full detailed Post Click: Did Brad Miller PSTA CEO Violate the PSTA Code of Ethics?

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks.

1 PSTA Letter Unallowable Costs OCC edits and TSGP responses_arm_08 08 2014 _2_