Tom Hylton’s Forest of Deceit
POTTSTOWN, PA – If you live in Pottstown and ever had to remove a tree from your property, you’ve most likely had the unpleasant task of having to deal with Tom Hylton. Our sympathies dear taxpayers.
As any reader of this blog knows, Hylton has his sticky fingers in several “self funded” non-profits, the subject of this post being Trees, Inc. (www.pottstowntrees.org). If you have a strong stomach, check out the Trees website. The first thing we picked up from the site is the over-explanation of that fact that no taxpayer funds have been used to fund this organization. Although, in reading the financial contributions to Trees, Inc. during the period of 2003-2007 (available on its website), we see that the Borough of Pottstown contributed close to $105,000. We guess Hylton doesn’t consider any money contributed from the Borough to be taxpayer money.
Trees, Inc. works hand in hand with the Borough Shade Tree Commission…actually we really can’t tell the two entities apart, as they’re both freaky side shows of Hylton’s. We’ve pointed this out in other posts, but all you really need to know about Hylton and his commissions/non-profit behaviors can be gleaned from the following online article from our good friends at the Pottstown Herald:
http://pottstownherald.com/do-we-really-need-the-pottstown-shade-tree-commission/507
Hylton is always over-defensive in his explanation of Trees and why the organization doesn’t financially assist the taxpayers of Pottstown when faced with extreme tree removal costs. Why is that? After all, according to the records posted on its website, Trees has total assets of $91,000+, so isn’t it acceptable to believe that since the Borough has contributed close to $105,000 to this entity, Trees should be financially able to help out taxpayers in dire straits?
UNBELIEVABLE!!!
We also find it interesting that an audit review was done in May 2009 by Rakowski and Company (CPAs). Where are copies of that audit? Why isn’t that posted online? We’re all for open government…so show us the files! Anyone interested in filing a right to know request with the Borough?
I am rather curious about this whole Trees, Inc./Borough Shade Tree Commission thing, too…now that it’s brought up. How in the world does this whole thing work??? Please, can’t Jody Rhoads dig a little deeper into this – since he is on the inside – and explain it to us common PAYING folk. More taxpayers should be outraged about the LACK of transparency here, honestly. Is it that when you twist it up and turn it around enough times, know one will be able to follow the trail???
Beyond being typically unbelievable, this seems – at the very least – really unethical!