Chick: Show me the money

Even as Los Angeles leaders cut services to balance the budget, tens of millions of dollars in bills owed to the city were going uncollected, Controller Laura Chick said Monday. Staff writer Kerry Cavanaugh in today's Daily News.

Her audit of L.A.'s billing and collection systems found that some $98 million was written off as uncollectible over the last three years, primarily because the city failed to send bills or follow up on delinquent payments.

"We are potentially losing out on millions of dollars that could hire more police officers and firefighters, fill potholes, trim trees and buy library books, Chick said.

"How can the city of Los Angeles, that has so many unmet needs and demands for services, not care about collecting all the money legitimately owed it?"

Chick listed 35 recommendations, including the creation of a centralized billing system in the Office of Finance and hiring more contractors to collect on unpaid bills.