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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. David Levdansky
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Levdansky reacts to Elizabeth borough tax scam
HARRISBURG, July 16 – State Rep. David Levdansky, D-Allegheny/Washington, today commended Elizabeth Mayor John Yacura for requesting a special investigation by Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner into financial irregularities in the borough.
"John contacted my office in March 2007 and asked for my help in bringing the matter to the attention of the auditor general," Levdansky said. "Within a couple weeks, a meeting was held in my office with Mayor Yacura and Auditor General Special Investigator Mike Bolen."
Bolen authored the report, "A Special Investigation of the Borough of Elizabeth, Allegheny County," that was released this month.
The report points to the alleged misappropriation of more than $15,710 in borough funds by the former borough secretary. In addition, an undetermined amount of cash in the form of fees paid by borough residents for trash collection and reimbursements from borough employees for cell phone usage is also unaccounted for. The borough secretary resigned in December 2006.
During 2007, Yacura and Bolen met in Levdansky’s office a number of times to discuss the investigation. As the investigation continued, Yacura and Elizabeth Council worked to make changes in borough procedures and policies.
"I am proud of the changes we have made and the new internal policies we have implemented since becoming aware of the alleged actions by our former borough secretary," Yacura said. "We may have been too trusting in the past, but this experience has taught us a good lesson and I can guarantee that documentation and internal controls are now standard operating procedure in borough hall."
Yacura thanked Levdansky for his assistance.
"I went to Representative Levdansky because I knew he would do whatever it took to get us the attention we needed to right the financial wrongs in our borough – and he did," Yacura added.
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