Word on the Street…

12 April 2021

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A source inside City Hall has told Transparent Tracy that Division Chief Patrick Vargas is under an internal investigation by the South San Joaquin County Fire Authority. No details about the investigation were provided but, as with most internal investigations, the outcome is likely not good for Vargas.
In case you’ve forgotten, Patrick Vargas has a long history with the Tracy Fire Department, including a 1995 felony conviction for wire fraud of $138,000 from the Tracy Fire Department. That’s right, he stole money from his own department who, in one of the most corrupt and confusing decisions by then Tracy Fire Chief Chris Bosch, kept Vargas employed during his four-month stint in prison. You can read more about this here . 

The question on our minds is whether Patrick Vargas will resign before the investigation is concluded?
This is a nightmare scenario for his wife, City Council Member Veronica Vargas. If Patrick is fired and/or charges are filed against him, it will cause reverberations for her future political aspirations. Stay tuned on this one!
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We will end corruption at City Hall by continuing to expose the inner workings of our local government. Are these elected and appointed officials who they say they are? Are they keeping their word? Are they doing the work of the people or for special interests? We will continue to shine light on these issues with information provided by the public. 

Transparent Tracy remains anonymous so that people feel comfortable sending us tips like the Patrick Vargas investigation. We thank you for the tips and suggestions and support that we’ve received thus far. Please keep them coming!
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