THE Building Optimism, Opportunities and Stability Together or BOOST program awards that the administration of former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres distributed last year are under investigation by the Office of the Public Auditor and the Office of the Attorney General, Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita said.
In an interview on Tuesday, Norita said Finance doesn’t have an update on the recovery of BOOST funds because “it’s now under investigation.”
She said earlier this year, Finance sent out letters and notices to BOOST recipients regarding compliance with the $17 million program, which was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. The compliance check resulted in the recovery of some of the BOOST awards, she added.
Norita informed the Legislature in July that Finance had recovered over $1 million in BOOST monies after some of the awardees who were not in compliance with the rules returned the funds.
She said that was the last time they released information about the recovery of BOOST monies because OPA and the OAG have stepped in to investigate the program.
Number of business licenses
A source from the Division of Revenue and Taxation Division separately told Variety on Tuesday that the 8,613 business licenses they issued in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 included the businesses of BOOST awardees.
The number of business licenses in FY 2022 was 8,367. FY 2023, the number was 8,613.
Norita said the increase could be an indication that business community members are willing to continue operating in the Commonwealth.
She said the Division of Revenue and Taxation has also stepped up its enforcement efforts, adding that “we [now] have stronger presence in the business community.”
