Responses to Requests for Evaluation of ANY

Recommendations 19

• R00-30

  Page 22
  REVAMP THE SUGGESTION AWARDS COMMITTEE WITH NEW, FRESH FACES THAT WILL BE UNHINDERED BY PAST HABITS AND PRACTICES, AND ESTABLISH A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF TWO-YEAR TERMS THAT A PERSON CAN SERVE.
• R00-31

  Page 22
  PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MANPOWER FOR THE STAFF SUPPORT SO THAT SUGGESTORS RECEIVE A TIMELY RESPONSE TO THEIR SUGGESTIONS.
• R00-32

  Page 22
  ENCOURAGE EXPANDED EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION THROUGH A NEW COUNTYWIDE PUBLICITY EFFORT, PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATION BY ALL PARTIES TO THE PROGRAM, TIMELY DECISIONS BASED ON THE MERITS OF THE SUGGESTIONS, AND A MORE LIBERAL INTER- PRETATION OF THE TANGIBLE SAVINGS TO BE GAINED. TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR BACKGROUND The Treasurer-Tax Collector is an elected position that heads up a department consisting of three divisions. The Treasurer-Tax Collector functions are: • Tax Collection Division is responsible for the collection and accounting of taxes for all taxing entities of the County. The division collects secured taxes, unsecured taxes, transient occupancy taxes, and racehorse taxes, and also conducts tax sales and processes senior citizen applications for postponement of real estate taxes. • The Treasurer Division provides banking services, including payment of all warrants and depositing of receipts for all County departments, school districts, and special districts. The division also invests these agencies funds, which total more than $1.5 billion. Other functions of the division are to provide cash management for County funds and issuance of temporary borrowing, when necessary.
• R00-33

  Page 25
  MAIL A NOTIFICATION OF TAX DELINQUENCY WITHIN 30 DAYS OF MISSING THE DECEMBER 10 INSTALLMENT, IN ADDITION TO MAILING THE NOTIFICATION OF TAX DELINQUENCY IN MAY.
• R00-34

  Page 26
  REDUCE THE APPROXIMATELY $50 MILLION IN DELINQUENT TAXES BY DEVELOPING MORE AGGRESSIVE COLLECTION AND TAX SALE PRACTICES.
• R00-35

  Page 26
  ENLARGE, COLOR, MAKE BOLD AND PROMINENTLY DISPLAY THE NOTICE “THERE ARE PRIOR YEAR TAXES DUE” ON ANY TAX BILL WHERE THERE IS A DELINQUENT TAX OWING.
• R00-36

  Page 26
  CONTINUE WITH THE REQUIRED COMPUTER PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ APPROVAL THAT WOULD PERMIT THE COUNTY TO ACCEPT PARTIAL PAYMENTS FOR TAXES DUE.
• R00-37

  Page 26
  IMPLEMENT THE CODE OF ETHICS AS RECOMMENDED IN THE 1999 OUTSIDE AUDIT CONDUCTED AS A RESULT OF THE EMBEZZLEMENT OF FUNDS.
• R00-38

  Page 26
  DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A NEW SET OF DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO INSURE A SYSTEM OF INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE IN PLACE TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENT AND PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.
• R00-39

  Page 26
  REQUIRE THE COUNTY AUDITOR/CONTROLLER, OR AN OUTSIDE AUDIT FIRM, TO CONDUCT A FULL-SCALE PERFORMANCE AND FISCAL AUDIT OF THE ENTIRE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR DEPARTMENT ONCE A YEAR, AS A ROUTINE BUSINESS PRACTICE.
• R00-40

  Page 26
  CHANGE THE PRACTICE OF HAVING TAX PAYMENT CHECKS MADE PAYABLE TO “DICK LARSEN, TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR”, AND HAVE THEM MADE PAYABLE TO “TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR”.
• R00-41

  Page 26
  DEVELOP A MORE DETAILED AND SOPHISTICATED REPORTING SYSTEM, USING DOLLAR CRITERIA TO JUSTIFY THE DECISION, TO BE USED WHENEVER MAJOR DEBTS OWING THE COUNTY ARE TO BE CHARGED OFF.
• R00-42

  Page 26
  ESTABLISH A FOLLOW-UP SYSTEM TO ASSURE THAT ANY AUDIT REPORT FROM THE STATE CONTROLLER’S OFFICE BE RECEIVED IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT PREVENTATIVE OR CORRECTIVE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN.
• R00-43

  Page 29
  INCLUDE A SEPARATE SHEET WHEN THE ASSESSOR MAILS THE NOTICE OF REDUCTION IN ASSESSED VALUE THAT CLEARLY AND SIMPLY STATES IN LARGE, “EYE-CATCHING” PRINT ”THIS IS A REDUCTION IN ASSESSED VALUE AND YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND OF TAXES PAID. THE TAXPAYER WILL RECEIVE A FORM IN THE NEAR FUTURE FROM THE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX DIVISION”.
• R00-44

  Page 29
  INCLUDE A SEPARATE SHEET WHEN THE PROPERTY TAX DIVISION MAILS THE CLAIM FOR REFUND FORM, THAT CLEARLY AND SIMPLY STATES IN LARGE, “EYE-CATCHING” PRINT “THIS
• R00-45

  Page 30
  ADD WORDING TO THE TAX BILL THAT IS MAILED ANNUALLY BY THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR STATING THAT AN UNCLAIMED TAX REFUND IS DUE UNDER THIS PARCEL NUMBER.
• R00-46

  Page 30
  MAKE A CONSCIENTIOUS SEARCH BY THE PROPERTY TAX DIVISION OF BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS OWED TAX REFUNDS AND MAKE A SECOND MAILING TO NOTIFY THOSE TAXPAYERS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AN UNCLAIMED TAX REFUND.
• R00-47

  Page 30
  PLACE A NOTICE IN ALL OF THE MAJOR COUNTY NEWSPAPERS BY THE PROPERTY TAX DIVISION ALERTING THE PUBLIC THAT THERE ARE ONLY 30 DAYS REMAINING TO CLAIM THEIR TAX REFUND, PRIOR TO REQUESTING TRANSFER TO THE GENERAL FUND.
• R00-48

  Page 30
  REQUEST THE AUDITOR ANNUALLY SUBMIT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR APPROVAL THE TIMELY TRANSFER OF THE ELIGIBLE UNCLAIMED TAX REFUNDS TO THE GENERAL FUND. COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE An important function of California Grand Juries is to consider bona fide complaints concerning local government operations submitted by members of the public. In San Bernardino County, complaints must be submitted in writing using the Grand Jury’s standard complaint form. As the Grand Jury has no assigned staff of investigators, public input is of vital importance if government oversight is to be effective. The identity of the complainant, the actions taken by the complainant to solve the problem, the subject and target of the complaint, and supporting data and information