Deal afoot to restore access to school salary files

Philadelphia Controller had been locked out. He says it’s a misunderstanding.

The School District of Philadelphia and the City Controller are close to an agreement for access to payroll records. The city’s chief auditor has been shut out since controls were tightened at the district last Thursday.

There had been 300 people with access to the payroll database at the school district, before administrators restricted access. Controller Alan Butkovitz says when his office was shut out, he went immediately to district officials to get back in.

“We have to have free unfettered access to the original information in order to perform our audit. The initial indication we have gotten is that they are backing off as far as our office is concerned. They agreed that they would authorize two of our auditors, we believe we need a larger number than two.”

Butkovitz says he hopes to have the issue resolved shortly, and believes it was just an oversight that happens when a large agency moves to change who can access confidential information.