Lawmakers in D.C. consider centralizing debt collection

In an effort to centralize the system, the city council in Washington, D.C., recently considered passing a bill that would require all debt collection practices to occur in one office. The bill was introduced by Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh, and seeks to create a single body inside the City Administrator's Office, combining a collection of different agencies within the city. If it is passed, Cheh hopes the Delinquent Debt Recovery Bill will help the city get more of the money it's owed. She said that creating one office would make the system work better and help chip away at the budget shortfall. "I hope this bill will foretell a shift in thinking about accounts receivable for the District," said Cheh in an interview with the Washington Examiner. "Agencies should be focused on their core competencies - ensuring compliance and providing public services. We have left millions of dollars on the table." While the District of Columbia will rely on public employees to collect debt, at least one town in Idaho has hired a private agency to go after money owed. The Idaho Mountain Express reports that the town of Ketchum has hired a collection agency to pursue the $109,000 owed by people with outstanding parking tickets.