Clerk’s office issues first revenue reports with auditors’ help
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The first new revenue reports are being issued out of the Shelby County Clerk’s Office since state auditors moved in this month.
A report dated March 11 shows tax collections totaling more than $56 million from last July to February. About $8.7 million of that came from a $25 Wheel Tax increase that went in effect last year, but had apparently not been included in reports.
The report was signed by Clerk Wanda Halbert.
“Last evening we received a new set of numbers for the County Clerk’s monthly revenues, signed by the Clerk and blessed by the TN Comptroller’s auditors,” County Trustee Regina Newman said in an email. “Trustee staff are posting the monthly numbers as I write. Updated figures should appear on our revenue reports this week.”
Auditors arrive at Shelby County Clerk’s office
Newman told county officials last month that she called the state comptroller’s office for help after County Clerk Wanda Halbert failed to turn in accurate revenue reports for months.
The inaccurate reports meant the county couldn’t put together its budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Comptroller Jason Mumpower, who sent a team of auditors to Halbert’s office earlier this month, said he’s never seen anything like it in any Tennessee clerk’s office. He called it “incompetence and willful neglect” by the clerk’s office.
State to step in at Shelby County Clerk’s Office, citing ‘incompetence’
“Our auditors prepared updated revenue reports, and we met with the Clerk yesterday to review them. She submitted our audited numbers to the Trustee last night,” said John Dunn, spokesperson for the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, Tuesday.
“Our work in Shelby County continues. We will likely issue a final report on our activities late next week,” Dunn said.
We’ve reached out to clerk Wanda Halbert for her reaction but are still waiting to hear back.
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