Dann’s office lauded for debt collection record

YOUNGSTOWN — Even with all the problems at the attorney general’s office when Marc Dann was in charge, the agency set a new state record for debt collection in a fiscal year.

The office announced today that its revenue recovery services and collection enforcement department ended its fiscal year June 30 with $344,039,150 in debt collection for state agencies. The debt includes unpaid income and sales taxes and insurance premiums owed to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

In response to an e-mail from The Vindicator seeking comment, Dann wrote: “Rae Ann Estep (a former Taft administration official) who I appointed, and Marcia Macon-Bruce, who I promoted, have done an incredible job putting professionalism in and taking the politics and cronyism out of the collections process of the attorney general’s office.”

Estep is chief of revenue recovery services and Macon-Bruce is the collections enforcement chief.

“Their success is no mistake,” Dann added. “We knew if collection firms and lawyers were hired and retained based on merit rather than political contributions that millions more could be collected for the state.”

Ironically, an internal attorney general investigation that validated sexual harassment complaints by two female office workers criticized the office under Dann’s leadership for cronyism, creating a hostile work environment and an overall lack of professionalism.

For the complete story, read Saturday’s Vindicator or vindy.com