AUDIT: FOSTER FUNDS MISSPENT.Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer A Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County audit released Friday harshly criticized a privately operated foster family agency for spending taxpayer money on extravagant salaries, luxury cars and other lavish purchases. International Foster Family Agency Chief Executive Director Louise Fernandez was earning $226,401 a year before the board of directors dismissed her Sept. 19, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the county Auditor-Controller's Office report. The salary is 70 percent higher than the average $142,000 salary of chief executive officers at other agencies that contract with the county to recruit, certify, train and support foster homes, auditors wrote. Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke said the county has stopped sending children to International, which is based in her district, and the state should close the Carson facility. ``This is abuse of the highest order,'' Burke said. ``We cannot have this. We cannot tolerate this. They have to be closed. We certainly can't refer children there.'' Linda Kollar, the lawyer for International, did not return calls seeking comment. The state Department of Social Services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales has begun the process of revoking International's operating licenses. The audit also found Fernandez had leased a 1999 Cadillac Seville The Cadillac Seville is a luxury car that was manufactured occasionally by the Cadillac division of American automaker General Motors as a specialty model in the 1950s and 60s, and a regular production vehicle from 1975 to 2004. sedan Sedan (sədäN`), town (1990 pop. 22,407), Ardennes dept., NE France, on the Meuse River. A noted textile center since the 16th cent., Sedan also has metal and brewing industries. The town became part of French crown lands in 1642. for $699 a month before upgrading to a $1,083-a-month Cadillac Escalade The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury sport utility vehicle sold by the General Motors luxury brand, Cadillac. It was the division's first major entry into the popular SUV market. SUV last August. Auditors wrote that the vehicles were not used to transport foster children. ``The Cadillac Seville was a luxury vehicle used primarily to benefit International's management,'' auditors wrote. ``It is unreasonable and unnecessary for International to use county funds on this type of vehicle.'' The audit found a total of $320,155 in questionable costs, including $85,544 in excessive salary and $65,697 in credit card payments for clothing, travel, car rentals, gas purchases, vehicle maintenance, meals, toys, cell phones, office supplies Office supplies is the generic term that refers to all supplies regularly used in offices by businesses and other organizations, from private citizens to governments, who works with the collection, refinement, and output of information (colloquially referred to as "paper work"). , flowers and movie tickets. |
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