Probation?

Stealing tax dollars should result in real consequences

Kristi Goss, now 44, was a Garland County employee for a dozen years before being fired last year after an audit turned up discrepancies in county credit card bills.

It turns out that Goss had been using the card to pay personal expenses for about five years. She paid utility bills, her property taxes and car payments. She paid her kids’ school lunches. She bought jewelry, Razorback tickets and knickknacks. She even bought a tuxedo for her pug dog.

The total came to $366,532.

The case made national news—the dog tuxedo was the hook that brought in readers. Maybe it will make headlines again— for a different reason.

You see, Goss pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 20 years probation. She also has to repay the county $300 a month restitution—it will take more than a century to pay back what she stole That’s justice? Goss said the strain of supporting her family took a toll on her. She also said she always intended to pay the money back but things just got out of hand.

Maybe so. But a lot of folks who stole far less because of family problems have ended up behind bars.

And that’s the problem here.

A government employee steals hundred of thousands in taxpayer dollars and gets probation. Granted, she’s not a violent criminal and we are not saying lock her up and throw away the key. But there should be more serious consequences for such a violation of the public trust.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen government workers on the local, state and federal levels get a pass for highdollar crimes. We’ve seen it right here in the Twin Cities. Maybe it’s because they are liked by their fellow government employees, including prosecutors and judges. Maybe it’s because they’re not considered to be on the same level as “real criminals.” But it sends the wrong message. Stealing public money should not be considered any less serious than robbing someone’s home or business. Stealing a car or motorcycle should not carry a heavier penalty than stealing tax dollars.

We can only hope in the future such thefts will carry real consequences. But we aren’t holding our breath.