Q: Re insurance agent Emil feduniec arrested for grand larceny. Is there a way of finding out whether he was convicted and/or sentenced. Tried the nys insurance dept and westchester county da but neither was cooperative. Thank you

Submitted by John bradford from New York ny

A: I think the court documents should be open to scrutiny from anyone in the general public. I am not in NY so I am not sure, but most states now allow you to search cases online. What you need to get is the original case number from the charges.

Answered 04/13/11 13:28:15 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Thanks TONS for your work, guys! Knowledge is power, and ya'll make complicated stuff understandable. Re: state and local budget problems...pensions are not the problem, so what is? I'd suggest a big part is the derivative market playing with state and muni bonds. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/us/08bond.html?pagewanted=3 Is there a way to find out how much was paid in cash to get out of derivative positions on particular bonds? Or somewhere that a taxpayer can see what the real losses have been? Is there a way to find out the economic impact this has had? Do you know of any governments litigating against swap deal sponsors or monoline insurers?

Submitted by Ruth from Greensboro, NC

A: In the simplest of terms, the problem is declining revenue and a limit to how much can get cut without affecting programs people have grown accustomed to and the political limits on new taxation. Pensions are part of the problem but they are not the driver of state budget problems, and I dont doubt there are a lot of people betting against muni bonds in hopes of making some money in a fashion similar to betting against housing.

Answered 04/13/11 12:46:20 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: If the income tax rate was returned to one that split the difference between 1960(JFK) and 1984(Reagan), e. g., around 53% for high/upper incomes, how soon would the budget become balanced? Thanks

Submitted by Sam Veneer from Pueblo,Colorado

A: I would assume almost immediately but I wouldnt hold your breath waiting for that to happen.

Answered 04/13/11 12:43:31 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Why do your reporters not dig into the cost Congress spends on itself. Travel, health care, help, etc. yet want to cut social security and medicare. It's our money why shouldn't it be spent back on us? Not one cent has been put into our taxes from anyone in Iraq or Afganistan, yet they send billions and billions over there everyday, and our pwerful media (print and electronic just go along with it as if they are part of the giveaway.

Submitted by Ray ODonnell from Hayward, Ca. 94545

A: I'd respectfully beg to differ. This office has repeatedly done stories on the untold costs of the wars, the long-term costs that will be shouldered without being advertised to the public. And I just did a story a few weeks ago on how Congress has a more generous pension plan than do federal workers or working Americans. So I share your concerns, and cannot speak for the broader media, but our operation has been focused on your concerns. We can't do it all the time, there is a limit on time and resources but I assure you we try to remind people on what these wars cost in terms of blood and treasure.

Answered 04/13/11 12:43:06 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Why Americans Why?? HISTORY IS WRITTEN ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF REPUBLICANS SINCE 1980 The Great Middle Class got the Great Shafting The struggling Rich became the Ultra-Rich Smashed Wall Street Smashed the Economy with three Recessions Smashed Housing Smashed the Savings and Loan Smashed the Children future with Debt Smashed 120,000,000 workers Income Growth Smashed America's Reputation as a Christian nation Smashed America's Reputation Worldwide Started the Decline of America with same policies as former Empires of Rome-Spain-Holland-England Fought the Democrats creation of Good Things For The Common Good Americans- Why do you continue to send those people back to power in Washington? Why did you allow Three so-called Conservative Presidents to, over twenty years, increase our Spending by four hundred percent; our Debt by seven hundred percent; our Job creation by 99,000 per month or just enough to cover new entries into the work force, a disgrace compared to Carter-Clinton record 220,000 per month; turn a 240 Billion Surplus as far as the eye could see into a 1400 Billion Deficit as far as the eye could see; get America involved in 9 international conflicts to create enemies all over the globe??? Why do you vote for such a horrid record??? Why America? Why? Why do you allow people like Joseph Goebbels disciples. Karl Rove and Fox TV to spread their Lies 24/7? Why People? Why? When is enough enough? clarence swinney-oldmeanuglyhonest mad mad mad : at ignorance

Submitted by clarence swinney from burlington nc

A: This is a comment not a question, will publish along with Jayne's rant.

Answered 03/31/11 18:06:36 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Is this a joke about Unions, really do you except anyone to beleive your misinformed writings? Unions have out lived their usefulness, they along with reporters like you need to be taken out with the trash!!

Submitted by jayne from NY

A: Thanks Jane.

Answered 03/31/11 18:05:57 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Can you explain the 1.5 billion dollars in healthcare funding that Rep. Bachman is talking about? What is it for, where does it come from, where does it go and to what purpose?

Submitted by Anna Piscopo from Hastings, MI

A: If you are talking about her Meet the Press comments, they were a misrepresentation of reality. She was quoting a report from the Congressional Budget Office that was updating an earlier report from October and laid out costs. These costs were known, include some of the funding for childrens' and womens' health programs for example. She was talking $105 billion ... the $1.5 billion figure correspondents to the upfront costs in implementing the unfunded expansion of Medicare drug benefits under President Bush, which was welcomed by many seniors but added huge funding burdens to Medicare as baby boomers ready to retire en masse in the coming 15 years.

Answered 03/31/11 18:05:38 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Regarding public employee pension costs, most pensions in California are in lieu of Social Security. Since the costs of Social Security are NOT being paid on these employees, when comparisons to private sector pay and benefits packages should consider those costs as well as the other private sector costs. In addition, since public employees are not paying into Social Security, they not only will not collect any SS benefits for their public employment years, if they are eligible for any Social Security benefits from either their pre- or post- public employment period, those SS benefits are reduced. I've never seen that mentioned in comparing public employee pensions to private pensions or 401(K) benefits (for which public employees are NOT ELIGIBLE.)

Submitted by Ken King from Squaw Valley, CA

A: Good point, I left it out because of space, there are about six states, including yours, in which some state workers still dont qualify for Social Security, or newer workers do but older workers dont. As you rightly note, people have been loosey goosey with information on public pensions. Federal lawmakers, however, get SS and pensions with faster accrual rates.

Answered 03/31/11 17:58:49 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: I have a serious question. Please answer. I am a retired U.S. NCO and in 2010 we received no increase in COLA but the income tax withheld from our pension was increased. For 2011 we again received no COLA increase but again even more income tax was being withheld from our pension. Why the tax increase each year on retirees pensions with no increase in COLA? This isn't fair and we loose for two years.

Submitted by John Miller from Paris France

A: I don't know why more income tax could be taken out of your pension, pensions are tax deferred but that rate on withdrawals hasnt changed that I know of. The COLAs are not going up because inflation has been unusually low... i realize that it seems farcical given the price of gasoline and food at grocery, but the COLA is determined on inflation across the broad range of goods and services in the economy.

Answered 03/31/11 17:57:03 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: If the unemployment rate is about 9%, but an acceptable rate is say 6% the [politicians/media] continue to say 15 million Americans are out of work. Does this mean 9% = 15 million? If so, we will never have 100% employment - which would mean roughly 5 million are out of work. Does 15 million unemployed mean roughly 3ish% of the unemployed or the full 9? And is it disingenuous to say 15 mil need jobs if realistically we won't have 100% employment? Thank you.

Submitted by Caballero from Orange County, CA

A: No, the 9 percent reflects 9 percent of the population counted in the workforce in any given month. There is a series that accompanies the jobs reports called the U series that shows people marginally attached to workforce or who have exited but would like to return. this shows percentages in the 16 percent range, which shows the hurt out there

Answered 03/31/11 17:52:57 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: If every one knows that major corporations like GE do not pay taxes and still get tax deduction benefit while sending jobs over seas, why would Obama pick Jeff Immelt to head the job program for the country?

Submitted by Nelson Ortega from SI NY

A: That's a very good question. Obama has reached to out Jef Immelt at GE and Ursula Burns at Xerox, who has a fascinating life story but who has also overseen the downsizing and outsourcing of Xerox jobs, earning her the nickname Terminator

Answered 03/31/11 17:48:23 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Are all trucks that cross the US, Mexican boarder searched, and why were loads of guns recently permitted to cross the boarder into Mexico from the United States with our knowledge?

Submitted by Bob Kowalski from Derby,CT.

A: Amen. I have spent much of my career in Mexico and used to have an office at Laredo, Texas, where most US-Mex cross-border trade moves. The answer is only a fraction of trucks crossing are checked, the drug gangs have people on each side of the border alerting when one is checked. a lot of the checking happens based on algorithms in software that looks for new shipping patterns etc, if a load left Monterrey historically and this time comes from Guadalajara etc. Very little is inspected by the US going southbound. The FBI and others are beginning to step it up a bit more because theyve been able to seize huge amounts of cash... it is telling that the US agent shot and killed in Mexico recently was killed with a gun purchased in Joshua, Texas.

Answered 03/07/11 18:10:27 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: I don't beleive state employee's benefits are a problem; however what are the benefits of the elected and appointed officials, what do they pay for health coverage, how much do they contribute to retirement? State employees need to work 20-30 years to receive life long benefits; how long do the elected and appointed officials have to work for their life long benefits? Since most are employeed otherwise why do they need a retirement or health benefits? They want to cut something reduce their salaries by 50% to show they are willing to endore some pain. Elected officials created the major protion of the problems we are having by NOT being good stuards of our resourses. Bascially it was their greed!

Submitted by Richard Vansickle from Rolesville, NC

A: Good question and I dont know the answer, will try to find out. I know the health care benefits, but not the pensions. will look.

Answered 03/07/11 18:07:37 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: In your article on State/Local Pensions, the following sentence was used: The unfunded liabilities would be a problem if all state and local retirees went into retirement at once, but they won't. Does the word "retirees" refer to: (1) all currently active state/local employees or (2) all retirement eligible state/local employees?

Submitted by R. H. Davis from Ventura CA

A: the proper word should have been beneficiaries, if all the obligations to beneficiaries working or retired had to be paid at once ... in short, if the entire system were frozen in place today, then ...

Answered 03/07/11 18:06:40 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: A comment: I would like to coin a phrase to describe the invaluable work that you and your organization do: Reporting Investigators and Public Educators, or RIPE. We must find a way to make the profession of journalism economically sustainable. Bloggers have a role to play but they can't possibly replace the reliable, documented information that RIPE's like Kevin and Tony bring to the public forum. Keep up the great work!

Submitted by Phil Brewer from Hamden Connecticut

A: much appreciated.

Answered 03/07/11 18:05:43 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: why land claim is still moving slow on black people,but they own the land.from my side there is lack of skill and they only perpose is to have money in the mean time the economy is dropping.OUESTION. why the government do not use student coming from Agricultural colleges to work as mentor because they are having skills and it lead us to the scarcity of resources in the country as a whole.

Submitted by dennis from Nelspruit

A: Very good suggestion on the mentor program.

Answered 03/03/11 18:31:24 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: What is the subsistence farming rate of Mexico?

Submitted by Christian Yi from Arlington Heights, Illinois

A: I don't know that one off the top of my head but I do know a lot about the issue because I worked there for many years. The Mexican Revolution guaranteed all Mexican peasants an ejido, a small plot of land that wasnt transferable. this was great in the day but as the world moved to large agribusiness it was a burden. Also it led to middlemen who preyed on poor peasants, especially coffee in the south, where the Chiapas rebellion later occured. From the 60's to the 80's, Mexico had a dual approach, promoting both big farming and redistributing land to the poor. In the late 80's and early 90's, the laws changed to make it easier to acquire more land and get economies of scale. These changes happened as other changes happened too, not the least of which massive emigration to the US during the prosperous period between 1995 and 2006. The story is more complicated than the common yarns that there has been a decline of small farming because of Mexican imports of US corn or because of the growth of ranching in the north.

Answered 03/03/11 18:30:27 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: if we purchase a good for 10$ and sell the good for the same 10$, it is a profit. why?

Submitted by christy rajumon from dubai

A: Hmmm, that sounds like a trick question. I can think of at least one scenario in which you buy say a barrel of oil for $10, you lock in a price for sale at some future date, and on that date the price of oil has actually fallen to say $7, so that same $10 sale yields you a $3 profit over the going rate. It wouldnt be a gross profit, but could be treated for accounting purposes as a net profit. This is what happens all the time in the derivatives market in oil swaps, two-way bets on what might happen to the price of oil. Do I pass the test?

Answered 02/14/11 17:55:53 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: Are there any possibilities or scenarios where speculative trading on oil futures could be suspended for "national security" reasons? With the entire economy of the US hanging in the balance, it sure is frightening to know our future is in the hands of people who care only about their own pockets and nothing of the livelihoods of 300 million plus Americans...

Submitted by David Bonebrake from Olathe, KS

A: I think that would be unlikely, although what could happen is there could temporary limits on the number of contracts traded etc. The key thing to remember is that this all involves paper contracts, not real barrels of oil. We have tons of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve that could be put on market to force down prices. Has happened at least once over the past decade, Gulf War I, to calm fears of supply disruptions.

Answered 02/14/11 17:52:08 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh

Q: In my country we hear strong rumors that the bank Comerce Bank in Miami is one of the most weak and suffering from bank runs strong .I wonder if it is true

Submitted by claudio manfredi from Caracas Venezuela

A: Can't help you on this one. There are numerous Florida banks assumed to be among the long list of them on FDIC's watch list. The FDIC does not disclose who these banks are, but analysts surmise who they are using call report data. If the banks are publicly traded, this confidence or lack of confidence is usually reflected in their share prices.

Answered 02/09/11 11:50:49 by Kevin Hall and Tony Pugh