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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Michael
J. Herzing |
State Rep. Dan Surra |
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House passes Surra county audit bill
HARRISBURG, June 14 – The state House on Wednesday passed legislation introduced by Rep. Dan Surra, D-Elk/Clearfield, that would give county auditors an extra three months to complete annual county audits and make their reports to the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
Surra said the legislation would give county auditors more time to conduct comprehensive and thorough audits of county finances and expenditures in view of the increasingly complex nature of county budgets.
“Counties are responsible for many more programs and services than they were years ago, and have their budgets tied into municipal, state and even federal revenue sources more than ever before,” Surra said. “It’s important for auditors to have the time they need to ensure taxpayers are protected, and to keep them from constantly having to ask the court for extensions on these audits.”
The legislation (H.B. 635) would extend the deadline for completing county audits from April 1 to July 1 of the year following the year being audited, and also give counties until July 1 to provide a fiscal report to the Court of Common Pleas and the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
Surra said many county auditors are forced to routinely ask for extensions to the current deadlines year after year.
“This is waste of the court’s time,” he said. “This legislation acknowledges the reality of situation and simply puts that extension into statute.”
The legislation now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
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