Latest news with #ReliefandEconomicSecurity
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
With 58 Counties in California, Where Does Yours Place Financially?
Commentary The final two counties in California to release their annual comprehensive financial reports for the year ending June 30, 2022, were Mariposa (Dec. 27, 2024) and While 49 of the 58 counties stayed roughly in place, nine of them The year ending in 2022 was a positive one for most municipalities, thanks to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and other federal relief funding, like the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). In the top 10 of the counties, San Benito County had revenues in excess of expenditures of $39.9 million, explaining its $33.8 million reduction in its unrestricted net deficit. This allowed the county to move up four positions into 8th place. Related Stories 5/6/2025 2/26/2025 Orange County's revenues in excess of expenditures was $1.3 billion, which reduced its unrestricted net deficit by $1.33 billion, and made it the biggest mover, jumping eight places up to 16th place. Not bad, as its bankruptcy filing back in 1994, due to the loss of $1.67 billion in its investment pool, had placed this county in 46th place back in 2010. Modifying its retiree medical plan (other post-employment benefit) and employee pension plan contributions had a lot to do with its upward climb. Many counties improved their unrestricted net positions and still dropped in the rankings, thanks to other counties making better improvements. But a few counties had setbacks. Although Kings County had revenues in excess of expenditures of $27.8 million, but had a prior period adjustment that reduced it by $14.9 million. It also restricted $3.7 million in funds and spent $18 million on capital assets, resulting in an increase in its unrestricted net deficit of $8.7 million. It dropped six places. The revenues in excess of expenditures for The critical goal is to improve the unrestricted net position. The other is to complete the annual audit, which is the official score sheet, within six months. Of California's 58 counties, 14 accomplished this admirable goal. The next deadline is March 31, and 25 counties were able to meet it. This left 19 counties, or one-third, delinquent. And the county officer responsible for issuing the report holds the title of 'auditor-controller.' Oh, well. Eleven counties were able to complete the audit work by the end of 2023. I bring this up because a county's financial management team can't make improvements in a timely manner from the recommendations that the auditors customarily provide to correct improper internal controls. It also makes budgeting a difficult chore if the county's supervisors don't have a balance sheet to plan from. If you live in these more remote counties, or if you're visiting them on vacation, as I have and so should you, then swing by the following halls of administration that also released their annual comprehensive financial reports for 2022 in 2024: Modoc (Jan. 9), Alpine (Jan. 19), Kings (April 5), Plumas (April 9), Imperial (July 19), and Humboldt (July 22). You're going to love the trip, and they're going to get the hint that some of us care about timely reporting. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Worcester's record-setting free bus program takes another victory lap
The longest-running fare-free program in Massachusetts will continue into next year. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) advisory board voted to extend the agency's fare-free program until June 2026, according to an announcement posted on the authority's X page on Thursday. The fare-free program is part of the agency's FY2026 budget, with the board voting unanimously to extend the program. The WRTA first implemented the fare-free bus program in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the advisory board voted to renew the program, allocating funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law by former President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020. The WRTA has renewed the program for the last five years, making Thursday's vote the sixth time they've done so. The Zero Fare Coalition, an advocacy group that supports fare-free transportation in Worcester County, celebrated the extension in an X post on Friday. 'Thank you to the WRTA for voting to extend free bus service through June 2026!' The post reads. 'Special thanks to advocates and riders for your continued advocacy; without you, the WRTA would not be the longest-running, fare-free regional transit system in the country!' The program will continue until June 2026 unless the WRTA votes to extend the program again. Beverly man faces OUI charge in connection with Worcester County pursuit Central Mass. coffee house opens new location — with new drive-thru Worcester colleges slam ballot question that would sap their endowments
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wisconsin family office agrees to near $11 million settlement for PPP loan violations
WISCONSIN (WFRV) – A group of affiliated companies controlled by a family office in Wisconsin has agreed to pay nearly $11 million to settle allegations of violating the False Claims Act by submitting false certifications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. On April 2, Barrington Venture Holding Company LLC, The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC, The Garlands of Barrington LLC, Nuestro Queso LLC, SSCO LLC, and Tire Profiles LLC agreed to settle the claims. Grassroots group in New London rallies in support of immigrant workers The settlement resolves allegations that four of these companies — The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC, The Garlands of Barrington LLC, Nuestro Queso LLC, and Tire Profiles LLC — falsely certified their eligibility for PPP loans. These companies collectively received six PPP loans totaling more than $5 million in principal, despite having more than 500 employees, which made them ineligible for the program. The PPP loan program, created in March 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provided financial assistance to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The loans could be forgiven if used on payroll and other eligible expenses, with the government repaying the borrower. Borrowers were required to certify their eligibility when applying for a loan and forgiveness, including an accurate employee count. Businesses with fewer than 500 employees were eligible for the loans, but businesses under common ownership or control had to aggregate employee counts. The U.S. government alleges that the family office companies knew they were ineligible for the PPP loans but applied anyway, taking steps to conceal their ineligibility. 'This settlement reflects the continuing commitment of the Department of Justice and the Small Business Administration to hold accountable businesses that abused this emergency program,' said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. Over 2,100 work zone crashes in Wisconsin last year, State Patrol issues safety reminder for 2025 SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis emphasized the collaborative efforts by federal agencies to recover the funds and impose penalties in such cases. The claims settled are allegations only, with no determination of liability made. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hanford nuclear site subcontractor, owner to pay $1.1M for COVID loan fraud
A former Hanford nuclear site subcontractor and its owner will pay a total settlement of just over $1.1 million to resolve accusations they defrauded the federal government through a COVID pandemic loan program. On Wednesday, U.S. Judge Stanley Bastian in Yakima sentenced BNL Technical Services, owned by Wilson Pershing Stevenson III, to pay nearly $494,000 restitution to the federal government, as proposed in a settlement agreement. That is in addition to $611,000 Stevenson, of Nashville, Tenn., already agreed to pay in a civil settlement to resolve his liability in the case. BNL, which faced a likely ban from federal government contracting, has been dissolved, according to a federal court document. However, the judge still sentenced it to one year of probation to ensure the restitution is paid promptly and in full. BNL received nearly $494,000 in 2020 from a Paycheck Protection Program loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The money was intended to retain and maintain payroll for Hanford site workers assigned to the nuclear reservation in Eastern Washington and also a few Department of Veterans Affairs workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the federal government continued to cover the costs of those employees as part of a commitment to keep the federal government's contracted workforce in a ready state during the pandemic, according to a court document. BNL overhead costs associated with the workers also were reimbursed with federal government funds. BNL, which had an office in Richland, hired staff and deployed them to Hanford nuclear reservation and other federal contractors, a service called 'staff augmentation.' Hanford staff paid with federal tax dollars were assigned to work for former contractors Washington River Protection Solutions, Mission Support Alliance and CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co., according to court documents. During the early part of the pandemic the number of workers reporting for environmental cleanup at the Hanford nuclear reservation was limited, with most workers telecommuting or paid with Department of Energy money to wait for more work to resume. Workers paid with DOE to be kept in readiness included BNL workers, according to court documents. The Hanford nuclear site adjacent to Richland was used to produce almost two-thirds of the plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons program, leaving massive environmental contamination on the 580-square-mile site. Within 48 hours of BNL receiving the Paycheck Protection Program loan at least $453,000 had been spent to pay off Stevenson's personal and family debts, according to an indictment. That included $100,000 transferred to Stevenson's father and $48,600 to a family trust, according to court documents. Much of the rest of the money was used to pay off credit card debt, according to the indictment. The federal government later forgave the loan, which cleared it from having to be repaid. BNL and Stevenson later applied for and received another Paycheck Protection Program loan of nearly $820,000. Most of that loan, which also was forgiven, was used correctly for employees who were not assigned work on federal projects, according to new federal court documents. But some of it also was used to pay off another federal loan, a $150,000 COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan, which was not an approved use of the money, according to court documents. 'The misuse of critical emergency funds intended for those personally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic defrauds taxpayers and deprives legitimate recipients of important assistance at a time it was needed most,' stated Lewe Sessions, assistant inspector general for investigations at the DOE Office of Inspector General. The Eastern Washington District U.S. Attorney's Office is continuing to pursue COVID fraud cases, said Rich Barker, acting U.S. attorney. The case was investigated by the DOE Office of Inspector General Richland Field Office and the Small Business Administration and VA Offices of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Tornabene and Dan Fruchter prosecuted the case.
CBS News
07-03-2025
- CBS News
Detroit man pleads guilty in $14.5 million PPP loan fraud
A Detroit man has pleaded guilty to fraud conspiracy relating to a case that involved over $14 million in falsified applications for Paycheck Protection Program COVID-19 relief funds. Marc Andrew Martin, 46, will be sentenced July 10 in the Pennsylvania case, according to a press release from acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. Martin faces up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Martin had worked with Matthew Lloyd Parker, who was a licensed CPA in Michigan, among others, during 2020 and 2021 to recruit hundreds of small businesses in Detroit and Pittsburgh and then falsify PPP loan applications, the district attorney's office said. The PPP was an emergency loan program created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020 and expanded by the later American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The intent was to help eligible businesses cover payroll costs and other specified expenses amid the economic disruptions of the time. The Small Business Administration approved 226 of the submitted applications, resulting in loans totaling around $14.5 million, an amount the press release said was "the largest known PPP fraud in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Martin's role involved referring about $1.9 million in "fraudulent loan packages" to Parker, the report said. Parker pleaded guilty in May 2024 to fraud conspiracy. The Federal Bureau of Investigation did the investigation that led to Martin's prosecution.
