(Feb. 11, 2020, 7:10 a.m.) -- The City of Long Beach has quietly admitted that it doesn't have publicly presentable promised audits for City Hall's collection and spending of the 2016 Measure A General Fund ("blank check") sales tax revenue through 2018...but says it'll do so for 2019 forward (as the City now seeks LB voter approval to continue imposing Measure-A (eliminating its current reduction and end dates.)
The admission comes in response to a Public Records Act request by Corliss Lee, founder of the Eastside Voice and the lead ballot argument writer in opposition to the Mayor/Council proposed LB voters approved the 2016 Measure A sales tax based on ballot label (text below) that promised "independent audits" of Measure A funds. But when Ms. Lee sought to see those audits, she received the following response: An independent audit of the City’s financial activities is conducted each year by KPMG and includes an audit of Measure A funds. After the audit is complete, the audit results are reported in the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (the CAFR) which is available on the City's website at CAFRs. The audit includes the normal tests for accuracy and controls. While there is currently no specific section on Measure A, it is audited. Financial information on Measure A based on the audited financials is available from other City sources, including the budget document and information published as part of the Citizens Committee review. For additional transparency purposes, beginning with the FY 19 audit, specific financial information on Measure A will be added to the CAFR. [Scroll down for further.] |
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association opined in a 2004 publication ("How to Defeat Local Sales Tax"): : Local governments have been placing sales tax measures on the ballot in response to alleged "budgetary problems." Such "budgetary problems" are often a result of wasteful or excessive spending by local government officials, including high pension costs and excessive personnel costs.
The Council-approved ballot label (shown to voters moments before they marked their ballots) described the 2016 Measure A General Fund ("blank check") tax as "a Public Safety, Infrastructure Repair and Neighborhood Services" measure, while noting in its text it could be spent to "maintain general services,"
The Mayor/Council ballot label uses similar text for the March 2020 ballot label text (below.)
Undeterred by City Hall's response, Ms. Lee has submitted a second Public Records Act request (although a City Hall response may not arrive until the election is basically over.): CAFR AUDITS OF MEASURE A. Please provide evidence from KPMG that the audits of Measure A were performed in the years 2017, 2018, 2019.
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