How Ben Harvey “Finds $8 Million Dollars” Sure.

Click the picture for the pdf of the claim filed

Ben Harvey “Finds $8 Million Dollars”

A few months after he started, Harvey told City Councilmembers that he had “found $8 million” that had been missing in the City’s budget, thereby casting aspersions of financial fraud and lack of transparency on Claimant and the previous City administration. He would periodically repeat this falsehood over the next months. Harvey’s allegation was a complete fabrication, without any foundation whatsoever, as there was no way to just “find $8 million” in the City coffers. Even if a mayor, City manager, finance director or someone else had, somehow—for some reason, concealed the funds, outside auditors regularly audited City accounts and would have certainly noticed $8 million of unaccounted-for City funds.Harvey would also often mention his “$8 million of found money” in City Management meetings (with all department heads). Claimant was surprised to hear that and asked Harvey where he found the money so she could correct any classification errors per GASB 54 reporting of fund balance requirements.In response, Harvey would ignore her request—and he would remain silent—until someone would break the awkwardness caused by his silence. Soon, when the issue came up again and Claimant asked about it, Harvey and the Public Works director, Lindy Palmer (“Palmer”), noticeably exchanged smirks and rolled their eyes. Soon, other senior City staff, to curry favor with them, joined in the mockery.