Here's the release:
Butkovitz Releases Audit of Clerk of Quarter Sessions
Controller finds uncollected bail debt not reported to Revenue Department
PHILADELPHIA – City Controller Alan Butkovitz today released the FY08-7 Clerk of Quarter Sessions (CQS) audit that found the $1 billion in forfeited bail was sent for collection but never reported to the Revenue Department for financial accounting and reporting, as required.
Along with owed bail amounts, CQS is not reporting the status of $353 million in current fines, costs and restitutions owed the City.
"The CQS has the responsibility of reporting all owed monies to the Revenue Department on an annual basis," said Butkovitz. "If an agency doesn't report what's owed, Revenue doesn't record it and keep track of payments and updated balances."
"Currently, the Revenue Department has no record of how much has been collected and how much is still owed. City agencies need to communicate with each other so that financial errors do no occur and all monies are accounted for."
Other findings from the audit include:
-CQS did not forward bank reconciliations for its Cash Bail Account or its Costs, Fines and Restitution Account to the Office of the Director of Finance, resulting in $26.8 million being omitted from the City's preliminary financial statements.
-Bank reconciliations for the Cash Bail Account and the Clearing Account are not prepared monthly.
-Fund reconciliations are not prepared for the Cash Bail Refund Account; consequently there is no way to know if the fund is over or short.
To view a copy of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions Auditor's Report FY 2008-07 as well as other audits and reports, please visit the Controller's Office Website: www.philadelphiacontroller.org