Council members question whether 'collections sheriff' job is needed

A proposal to create a "collections sheriff" to round up past-due tax revenue from Los Angeles businesses and residents was criticized Monday as being too loosely defined and lacking measurements for success.

At an unusual joint meeting of three City Council committees, members asked for a report to provide information on what the job would entail, how it would be staffed and funded, and how officials would be able to measure its effectiveness.

"This is a very loose plan," said Councilman Dennis Zine, head of the council's Audits and Governmental Efficiency Committee. "It seems like it's a job that the city controller and Office of Finance should be doing without hiring someone else."

Developed by the Commission on Revenue Enhancement, the proposal calls for an appointed inspector general to be responsible for collecting more than $540 million owed the city in fines, fees and taxes.

CORE has estimated that roughly half of the money owed the city is more than two years overdue. And an audit conducted last July found the city had collected only 53 percent of what it was owed.

Every revenue dollar is critical as the council struggles to close a $457 million deficit in the $6.9 billion budget proposed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for 2011-12.

Still, City Council members appeared skeptical that a single person could fill the role as outlined - and whether the position is even necessary.

"This person is not

going to have the staff to do audits, won't have the staff to go out and collect the money," said City Councilman Greig Smith. "What do we need him for? Why do we have to hire another person who will just say these (departments) aren't doing their job (in collecting debt)?

"Why don't we just say we are creating a Department of Redundancy Department?"

The three panels agreed to refer the issue to the Budget and Finance Committee. Councilman Bernard Parks, who chairs that panel, said he wanted to see specific information, such as how much the position would cost taxpayers.

Chloë Sevigny Blu Cantrell Katy Perry Megan Ewing Erika Christensen