Stephanie M. Scola, Director of Bond Finance for the State of Delaware, has been presented with a Freda Johnson Trailblazer Award by the Northeast Women in Public Finance (NEWPF). The award honors her as a woman who has made an outstanding commitment to the field of public finance, and whose dedication and professional achievements have been recognized by her peers. She was one of ten women from across the country honored at the Bond Buyer’s 14th Annual Deal of the Year Awards Gala at New York’s Waldorf Astoria on December 3, 2015.

As Director of Bond Finance, Stephanie oversees Delaware’s bond program, finding creative and efficient ways to fund state objectives. “I find it particularly satisfying to finance projects for the public good: schools, libraries, and courthouses,” says Ms. Scola. Through her diligence, she ensures that the state’s capital projects are financed at the lowest possible cost of capital and is vigilant for threats to Delaware’s Triple-A rating.

In addition to her many achievements, she was instrumental in making Delaware bonds available to retail investors and has created one of the most comprehensive investor relations sites on the internet, http://www.buybonds.delaware.gov/. The site promotes investor relations, and provides easily accessible, current, and relevant information about the State and its financial position for the public.

“We’re proud to have such an exemplary role model for women in public finance working with us,” said Finance Secretary Tom Cook, “and we congratulate Stephanie on this well-deserved honor. Her dedication to raising Delaware’s profile in the public finance industry is admirable and ultimately helps all Delawareans.”

Trailblazer Awards are given annually to recognized leaders in the public finance industry, with nominees chosen by members of the NEWPF.

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Leslie A. Poland
Public Information Officer
Delaware Department of Finance
(302) 577-8522
leslie.poland@delaware.gov

Statewide, DE – On Friday, October 30, 2015 the Delaware Department of Finance will officially launch delaware.findyourunclaimedproperty.com. The new website will provide the public easy access to the state’s unclaimed property database. It will allow users to search by name to find information regarding any unclaimed property they may have in Delaware. The website also allows visitors to submit and check claim status online.

“The new website is certainly a welcome and timely development,” remarked Governor Jack Markell. “We have a duty to return unclaimed funds to rightful owners and the website allows us to reunite owners with their funds with greater efficiency and customer focus.”

Unclaimed property can include forgotten savings and checking accounts, un-cashed checks, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, dividends, and utility deposits and refunds. Most of these accounts are considered abandoned, and have been turned over to the state after years of inactivity.

With the introduction of new processing systems, the number of successful claims in Delaware has increased dramatically. Since July of 2013, the Department has processed over 22,000 claims – successfully reuniting citizens with more than $225 million in previously unclaimed funds.

“Delaware continues to seek new and innovative ways to reach unclaimed property owners,” says State Escheator, David Gregor. “Whether it’s a $50 deposit from a closed utility account, or $5,000 from a forgotten savings account, it’s your money – and it’s our job to get it back to you. We hope this new website will make that process even easier.”

In addition to launching delaware.findyourunclaimedproperty.com, the Department will publish the names and addresses of approximately 147,000 owners of unclaimed property in Friday’s editions of the Delaware State News and the News Journal. For more information, email escheat.claimquestions@delaware.gov, or call the Office of Unclaimed Property at (855) 505-7520.

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Leslie A. Poland
Public Information Officer
Department of Finance
Delaware Division of Revenue
(302) 577-8522
leslie.poland@delaware.gov

Statewide – Delaware Division of Revenue Director Patrick Carter announced today the posting of another list of top 100 delinquent individual and business taxpayers at on the Delinquent Taxpayers website.

Since the Delaware Delinquent Taxpayers website went live in February 2007, the state has collected more than $8,600,000 in back taxes from taxpayers whose names were posted or were advised they qualified to have their name posted. With the posting of this round of Delaware’s delinquent taxpayers Carter says he expects Delaware to see even more money in the weeks to come.

The Delaware Delinquent Taxpayers website posts for public view the names of people and businesses who owe unpaid taxes to the state. By legislative order, larger balances were targeted first for publication. Each quarter the next 100 business taxpayers and 100 personal taxpayers who have balances over $1,000 are posted to the site.

“This site is extremely successful,” Carter says. “People don’t want their names posted online for not paying taxes. Delaware is collecting outstanding debt that might otherwise require the State to raise revenue.”

Rep. Deborah Hudson, who proposed the program and sponsored the legislation that established the posting requirements for Delaware’s delinquent taxpayers, agrees that the Delaware Delinquent Taxpayers site is a genuine success.

“When you consider the challenges facing the people of Delaware, I am proud to have successfully proposed and sponsored programs like this that, without raising taxes, collect amounts that are due to the State and help out in these trying fiscal times.”

Since its inception in February 2007, the Delinquent Taxpayers webpage has encouraged Delaware taxpayers to resolve their unpaid tax bills. The new lists will name individuals and businesses that, combined, owe over $3.6 million to the State.

To meet the criteria for posting to the Delaware Delinquent Taxpayers site, individuals and businesses must have already received a judgment for unpaid taxes. They are then notified by mail that their names may be posted online and given 60 days to respond. The names of those who enter into a payment agreement with the Division of Revenue or pay their balance in full are either not published or will be removed from the Delinquent Taxpayers list, depending on when the agreement takes place. Taxpayers who have filed for bankruptcy protection or have incurred a liability that is being appealed are excluded from the published list until their case has been resolved.

“A large percentage of outstanding taxpayers resolve their liabilities to avoid having their names posted online,” Carter says. “However, others wait until their names are actually posted and then resolve their accounts. Ultimately, this site provides the motivation some people need to finally pay their tax debt.”

Delaware is one of over 20 states and the District of Columbia to publish delinquent taxpayers’ names online.

Contact:
Valerie Watson
Delaware Department of Finance
Valerie.watson@delaware.gov

Dover – The Delaware Lottery is pleased to announce the launch of its free mobile iGaming applications for iOS devices. The mobile apps are now available for download from each of the three Delaware Casino online gaming sites: (www.delawarepark.com/igaming/, onlinegaming.doverdowns.com/, www.harringtongamingonline.com/) and from the Apple App Store.

The three new apps now make it easier for Delaware players to enjoy their favorite casino games “on the go” for real money via WiFi networks. The apps are compatible with iOS devices only (iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch) and you must be 21 to play and located in Delaware.

“This is an exciting moment for iGaming in Delaware”, said Lottery Director Vernon Kirk. “Players can now find convenience and entertainment in playing casino games on their iOS mobile devices, and it’s just in time for tourists visiting our amazing Delaware beaches this summer.”

Statewide – Division of Revenue Director Patrick Carter has announced today that the Delaware Division of Revenue has experienced several attempts by unknown persons to file fraudulent income tax returns for the 2014 filing season using stolen identities. The fraudulent filing attempts have originated from data that was compromised through a third-party commercial tax-preparation software database. All information in Delaware’s tax database remains secure and at no point was Delaware’s online filing system compromised.

To date, 19 states – including Delaware – have reported receiving fraudulent filing attempts through the same third-party software. Delaware is also flagging a number of returns as “potentially fraudulent” based on criteria found on the fraudulent returns. Any Delaware taxpayer who filed state income tax returns electronically for 2014 or years prior through a third-party software may be affected. The Division of Revenue is working to identify victims and will alert them individually of any potential fraud and/ or identity theft.

“Protecting the personal information of Delaware taxpayers is our greatest priority right now,” Carter said. “As soon as our internal controls alerted us to the increase in fraudulent attempts, we implemented a number of safeguards to lessen any potential fraud from these return filings. We are confident that we are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of our taxpayers.”

Due to the new safeguards, some taxpayers may experience a delay in receiving their State of Delaware refund. The Division of Revenue is working to ensure all taxpayers receive their proper refund as promptly as possible, said Carter.

Members of the public who believe they have been victims of Delaware Income Tax fraud or who have questions about suspicious activity are urged to call 302-577-8200. Taxpayers may also verify the current status of their state income tax return by going to http://revenue.delaware.gov.

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Media Contact:
Angela Moffett-Batty
Delaware Department of Finance
angela.moffett-batty@delaware.gov
Phone: (302) 577-8522