Fasano sends letter to Harp calling for forensic audit on city spending
October 17, 2018Fasano sends letter to Harp calling for forensic audit on city spending
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)
Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano has sent a letter to New Haven Mayor Toni Harp regarding the city’s spending.
In the letter, Fasano expresses concern over reports of the city’s expenses on travel for business as well as spending thousands on uniforms for staff in the mayor’s office.
Related Content: Mayor Harp diverts nearly $4k from fire dept. for uniforms for her admin staff
Fasano is calling for the office to conduct “a thorough and comprehensive forensic audit.”
The letter can be read in its entirety below:
Dear Mayor Harp:
Over the past several weeks, I have been disturbed by the multiple news stories regarding what appears to be the mishandling of taxpayer dollars in the City of New Haven.
· The New Haven Independent reported that your administration apparently concealed its travel expenses. Those expenses, which seem excessive, involve cross-country flights, hotel stays, and luxurious meals on city business. Trips to meetings of the U.S. Conference of Mayors apparently cost two or three times more than was reported.
· The New Haven Register reported that “City Hall has turned its attention to fashion.” The city spent nearly $4,000 on uniforms in May for the receptionists in the mayor’s office. Invoices of the purchases obtained by the New Haven Register show that staffers were provided with varying colored apparel – blouses, polo shirts, cardigans, pants, skirts, blazers and scarves – totaling $3,959.
Mayor Harp: Since state government reimburses 39.4 percent of the city’s budget, I am asking that your office conduct a thorough and comprehensive forensic audit. This audit would help to ensure that every taxpayer dollar – 39.4 percent of which are State of Connecticut taxpayer dollars – are being accounted for.
I hope you would agree that state taxpayers need to be assured that their tax dollars are not being wasted and misused in New Haven. Your actions can help quell what is already a brewing crisis of confidence in City Hall spending.
Thank you for taking the time to review this issue.
Sincerely,
Len Fasano
Senate Republican President Pro Tempore
Related Content: Newly obtained records show cost of Mayor Harp’s China trip more than doubles
At the time of this writing, there has been no response from the mayor’s office or from the City of New Haven.