There were 86 arrests of construction, plumbing and elevator inspectors. Public building officials in New York City and many other cities and towns increasingly are viewed as the scourge of government, carving out fiefdoms of influence peddling by enforcing building codes that are inconsistent, outdated and designed more to protect special interests than public safety. They no longer are public servants, but independent agents. New York City and other municipalities facing the same culture of corruption have the opportunity to write the final episode to the sad saga or set the stage for a sequel. We think that the best message to send to government agencies and officials is that there must be an attitude adjustment, and a new recognition of what they are there for.
Corruption is just an outward sign of a rotten system.