NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DeLuca Advisory Services is pleased to announce its association with Bloomberg Philanthropies in the development of guidelines provided to cities across the United States as they prepare to spend billions in new federal aid to respond and recover from the Coronavirus crisis.
The Bloomberg program will highlight established best practices and provide to city leaders tutorials on how to apply for and receive aid, and also how to monitor expenses to ensure proper accounting. These new supports will be delivered through a partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies and the United States Conference of Mayors and is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies COVID-19 Local Response Initiative. DeLuca Advisory Services is part of a team of companies tapped by Bloomberg Philanthropies to generate a robust set of support services and resources that will help local leaders combat the Coronavirus and protect the social and economic well-being of cities.
The CARES Act sets aside $150 billion in aid to state and local governments. Implicit in the promise of massive federal aid is that the taxpayers’ money will be fairly spent; that expenditures will be properly documented and that ultimately a full accounting will be provided. Joseph DeLuca, founder and CEO of DeLuca Advisory Services has more than 30 years of experience in helping government agencies, corporations and non-profit groups avoid fraud, waste and abuse. DeLuca said the federal assistance to cities within the CARES Act may hold risks for local governments unless they quickly establish proper controls.
“Our experience is that in crisis situations as we have now with the Coronavirus pandemic, the thing that people regret later on is not the actions they took, but the financial consequences of their good-faith efforts,” DeLuca said. “Agreements made under crisis conditions may be forgotten. When reimbursements are requested, it can become contentious. The unwanted result: Claims and lawsuits. None of us want to see that happen – especially taxpayers.”
The DLA team includes Michael Carroll, former Deputy Commissioner and Inspector General with the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI). Michael served approximately 14 years at the New York City’s Department of Investigation (DOI), ten of those years under Mayor Bloomberg’s administration. Alongside former DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn, Michael utilized past crisis experience to articulate protocols for Mayors and leaders across the country as they work to provide COVID-19 relief efforts. Carroll said: “In a time of unprecedented global challenges, our past local crisis efforts can help provide a framework to guide efforts on a national level.”
DeLuca credited former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg with spearheading this initiative to provide guidance and assistance to cities across the United States as they seek to battle the virus in their own communities and deploy federal dollars that are being spent on an emergency basis.
“Many cities have been through multiple crises before, but it’s fair to say that most of us are in uncharted waters,” DeLuca said. “You’ve got mayors across the country trying to cobble together solutions and while federal assistance dollars are welcome, the resources mayors normally depend on for solutions may not be available. The tools being offered to cities by Bloomberg Philanthropies – at the direction of Mayor Bloomberg – are going to provide our nation’s local leaders with virtual technical assistance, coaching, and accurate information, which they need urgently on the frontlines of the public health crisis.”
“On top of the enormous pressures of the Coronavirus response, cities will soon be responsible for managing billions from federal assistance programs,” said Rose Gill Hearn, principal at Bloomberg Associates. “This new Bloomberg initiative will help cities using a group of best-in-class advisers so that local leaders have the tools to implement thorough fiscal monitoring and accounting.”
More details about the Bloomberg initiative can be found at this website: https://www.bloomberg.org/program/public-health/coronavirus-response/#coronavirus-local-response-initiative
About DeLuca Advisory Services
DeLuca Advisory Services (DLA) was formed in 2018 by founding principal and industry veteran Joseph A. DeLuca, building off the model he created as co-founder of Thacher Associates. DeLuca has brought together professionals with decades of experience in law enforcement, risk management, integrity monitoring, and compliance with a new vision for better client outcomes. For more information, please visit www.delucaadvisory.com.