Press Releases

Press Releases

MEDIA CONTACT 

Lou Takacs, Communications Director

Phone :412-350-4157

Mail to : Louis.Takacs@AlleghenyCounty

COUNTY CONTROLLER CHELSA WAGNER RELEASES VEHICLE AUDIT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

January 13, 2015
County Controller Chelsa Wagner today announced that her office has finalized its analysis of County-owned vehicles and released her findings and recommendations. The audit revealed misuse and fraud, lack of oversight and major gaps in data. The Controller’s report will be forwarded to the County Administration for review and the opportunity to respond. “This is […]

COUNTY CONTROLLER CHELSA WAGNER EXPECTS FULL REPAYMENT BY HERTZ TO COUNTY, FOR SIGNIFICANT RECOVERY FOR PORT AUTHORITY BUDGET

January 7, 2015
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner today commended County Treasurer John Weinstein for seeking full repayment, including penalties and interest, of three-quarters of a million dollars that is owed to the County by the Hertz Corporation. Last month, Wagner announced that an audit uncovered $743,107 in unpaid taxes from Hertz for underpayment of rental car taxes […]

CONTROLLER WAGNER COMMENDS AUDITOR GENERAL FOR SHEDDING LIGHT ON IMPACT OF TAX EXEMPTIONS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY AND STATEWIDE

December 18, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner today commended Auditor General Eugene DePasquale for highlighting, statewide, the financial impact of tax-exempt properties on municipal and county governments and school districts. DePasquale released a special report today.   The Auditor General’s report highlights Controller Wagner’s June 2012 report that looked at property tax exemptions in Allegheny County and […]

COUNTY CONTROLLER URGES SEA BOARD, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION TO COOPERATE WITH AUDIT OF SEA TICKET DISTRIBUTION

December 11, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner today addressed the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County’s (SEA) Board at its monthly meeting, urging members to direct staff to cooperate with her office’s audit of ticket distribution and encouraged them to provide the information that the taxpayers deserve. Today’s attempt comes after nearly two months […]

COUNTY CONTROLLER CHELSA WAGNER UNCOVERS $743,107 IN UNPAID TAXES AT THE AIRPORT

December 9, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner’s latest audit has uncovered three-quarters of a million dollars in unpaid taxes from the Hertz Corporation for underpayment of rental car taxes at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Hertz has indicated the underpayment was a result of a computer error.   “This is a significant recovery for Allegheny County’s taxpayers, which […]

CONTROLLER WAGNER’S ONGOING COUNTY VEHICLE AUDIT RESULTS IN ARREST

December 4, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Wagner reported today that her audit of county vehicles, which remains ongoing, and includes the use of county vehicle credit cards, has resulted in criminal action against an employee of First Vehicle Services, the maintenance provider for County vehicles.  Auditors in the Controller's office discovered a major discrepancy with a fuel card, […]

CONTROLLER WAGNER HOPEFUL FOR SEA TICKET AUDIT COOPERATION DESPITE ANOTHER SETBACK

December 4, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner initiated an audit of the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County with a letter to County Executive Fitzgerald and the SEA on October 17, 2014. Following a month’s delay by the County Administration and the SEA upon her requests to meet regarding this audit, Controller Wagner extended […]

COUNTY CONTROLLER RELEASES ANNUAL “STREET PRICING” AUDIT, RECOMMENDS AIRPORT IMPLEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED RETAIL REVENUE

November 25, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner today released her office’s annual audit of street pricing at the Pittsburgh International Airport, which ensures that retail stores are selling goods at the same prices as non-airport locations.  In conjunction with the audit findings, which revealed that some prices were inflated at the airport, Wagner recommended changes to the […]

CONTROLLER CHELSA WAGNER CALLS ON COUNTY OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND IMMEDIATELY ACCOUNT FOR TICKETS DISTRIBUTED BY THE SPORTS AND EXHIBITION AUTHORITY

November 20, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner is calling on County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and his staff to cooperate with her auditors and cease obstructing efforts to examine the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA), and their distribution of tickets to sporting and entertainment events.    Controller Wagner initiated the audit with a […]

ALLEGHENY COUNTY CONTROLLER CHELSA WAGNER CALLS FOR OVERHAUL OF HOW COUNTY AWARDS DISCRETIONARY GAMING MONEY, CITES LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

November 13, 2014
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner today called for an overhaul of the County’s grant award process, upon releasing her audit of the County’s gaming funds. Wagner’s office reviewed $40.5 million from two separate gaming funds administered by the County’s Economic Development Department over a four-year period. The audit revealed that no objective criteria had been […]