Utility Assistance Grants Overview

Niccolo Machiavelli’s "The Prince" presents a stark reality for leaders: they must appear virtuous, yet to maintain power, they may need to lie, steal, and cheat. A leader must do whatever it takes to maintain control over their kingdom while projecting an image of honesty and respect. However, morals and ethical behavior can sometimes undermine their authority.

In the realm of politics, lies, hypocrisy, and entitlement often prevail. Politicians frequently act as if the rules do not apply to them, and institutions like the Attorney General’s Office, the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission, and the Lincoln City Council are often viewed as obstructing justice. The protection racket must cease, and the malpractices must be exposed. For every dollar wasted in donations, another dollar is essentially stolen from the very people these funds were meant to assist.

The Joint Budget Committee (in their own words) acknowledges the government's role in on providing crucial human services for Lincoln and Lancaster County. The nonprofit sector often delivers these services more efficiently and at a lower cost. Thus, the City and County established the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), responsible for overseeing the distribution of tax dollars designated for these services.

However, let’s scrutinize their actions. Take, for example, Executive Order 093607, which entails a grant contract between the City of Lincoln and the Salvation Army. This contract allocates $10,350 from the Joint Budget Committee for their Utility Assistance Program. 

Analyzing this budget reveals an alarming disparity: $10,350 is earmarked for the Case Worker’s Salary while direct assistance to individuals receives $0.00. The scope of this program aims to help 1,400 people in need, yet the actual service provided is dismal—only 65 LES bills were paid over the entire fiscal year, totaling $9,202.66, which is $1,147.34 less than the grant amount.

Moreover, the federal government contributes an additional $3,000 for this Utility Program through FEMA. To put this into perspective, the combined funding from the government alone for direct assistance in a single program exceeds the required support by nearly 150%. Additionally, the United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County contributes another $33,634 to the Salvation Army’s Utility Program, which makes up 365% of the assistance actually distributed.

These grants alone amount to $46,984, representing 5.1 times more than the assistance that Salvation Army clients actually receive for Utility Assistance with the Lincoln Electric System.

As for the much-publicized Red Kettle Income and other donations the Salvation Army receives by mail, alarmingly, none of those funds are allocated to help with Utilities. Consequently, the Joint Budget Committee appears to be wasting every single dollar provided to the Salvation Army for Utility Assistance.

But could there be another motive at play? An email from a former Salvation Army Business Administrator, dated August 2, 2016, raises questions about how JBC city/county grants are utilized. It reveals a concerning exchange indicating that funds labeled for utility assistance and food are sometimes diverted for other uses, specifically for support related to after school programs instead of directly helping those in need.

This raises critical concerns about the unintended consequences of this funding structure. A former Salvation Army Social Services Director shared a troubling story about a mother seeking Heat Assistance during winter, forced to sleep in her car with her kids just to stay warm. Assistance for this situation was apparently 'supposed' to come from Black Hills Energy Cares and the Salvation Army's Heat Share program, which seems inadequate.

When entities like the Salvation Army, the Joint Budget Committee, the United Way, and various local organizations control where taxpayer money and donations are spent without the oversight of the Attorney General's office, it creates a perfect storm for problems. Grants and restricted donations intended for specific purposes must be strictly followed—if a charity claims to use money for XYZ, they have no right to redirect it to ABC.

Furthermore, this lack of accountability creates significant challenges in tracking funding allocation. The case of the JBC Utility grant, which seems misappropriated for another program, exemplifies this issue. I assure you, the Salvation Army does not expend their own funds to assist anyone. If a project isn’t funded by a grant, it simply does not occur. The After School program remains safe, but where is the missing money?

Fiscal Year 2010 reveals troubling financials: the Salvation Army’s Lincoln Corps lost $237,051, while their Church Expenses amounted to $276,428 against an income of just $30,300. In that year, they reported a net loss of $246,128. Additionally, the Program and Music Director for the Church incurred costs of $78,126.00; yet by fiscal year 2019, those roles reflected $0.00 costs under the Church, with expenses shifting to different departments, including (412) Utility Assistance.

Importantly, the Attorney General has been aware of these critical issues since at least 2018, if not before. Regrettably, the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission has failed to provide a fair platform for whistleblowers seeking resolution. Grant accountability has not been enforced by the Joint Budget Committee, which raises questions about the integrity of the entire system.

What emerges is a classic protection racket reminiscent of the old-school Mafia. Sadly, government practices in Nebraska seem to mirror mob-like behavior, and the wrongdoers are thriving in this flawed system. Free money flows while those in need remain largely ignored.