Quick Change Artist Burns County Tax Collector’s Office Cashier For $1,000

A quick change artist or customer otherwise utilizing sleight-of-hand shortchanged a cashier in the county treasurer/tax collector division of $1,000 last December, it was revealed this week.
According to Oscar Valdez, the county’s treasurer/tax collector who is also the auditor/controller, “On December 10, 2015, auditor-treasurer-controller-tax collector staff discovered one cash drawer was short in the amount of $1,000. An extensive review of the shortage was conducted by tax collector staff, including multiple balancing of all check and cash payments, a physical search of the cashier window and vault, and video review of available footage of in-person tax payments made that day. The auditor’s review concluded that there was no proof of fraud or gross negligence on the part of any employee. The shortage appears to have been due to a single error by a cashier receiving cash payments.”
The shortage was reported to the internal audits section of auditor-treasurer-controller-tax collector office as required by Chapter 5 of the county’s internal controls and cash manual.
“The circumstances concerning this shortage were reviewed, and the internal audits division did not find any internal control deficiencies other than the observation that the video surveillance cameras located in the vault were not working properly and the recording hours of the cameras located at the cashier windows needed to be extended from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” said Valdez. “Since the incident, tax collector staff has implemented corrective action to address these issues, and to strengthen and improve controls to prevent reoccurrences of cash loss within the tax collector’s office.“
In compliance with Valdez’s request, the board of supervisors this week approved giving his office relief from liability, pursuant to Chapter 5 of the auditor-controller/treasurer/tax collector’s internal controls and cash manual.

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