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In Re: Deonne M, Arrington,
Respondent
Before:
File Docket:
: X-ref:
Date Decided:
Date Mailed:
FACSIMILE: 717-787-0806
WEBSITE: www je h cs.pa.qtry
21-010-P
Order No, 704-S
9/15/21
9/17/21
Nicholas A. Colafella, Chair
Mark R. Corrigan, Vice Chair
Roger Nick
Melanie DePalma
Michael A. Schwartz
Shelley Y. Simms
This is a final adjudication of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission as to the alleged
delinquency and/or deficiency of Statement(s) of Financial. Interests required to be filed pursuant
to Sections 1104 and 1.105 of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65
Pa.C.S. § 1101 et sue.
The Investigative Division initiated these proceedings by filing with the State Ethics
Commission and serving upon Respondent a Petition for Civil Penalties. An Order to Show Cause
was issued to Respondent. An Answer was not filed by the Respondent, and a hearing was deemed.
waived. The record is complete. The Findings in this Order are derived from the Petition for Civil.
Penalties filed by the Investigative Divisions.
I. FINDINGS:
Respondent is an adult individual who resides or maintains a mailing address at [address
redacted] .
2. At all times relevant to these proceedings, Respondent has been a Principal for the City of
Pittsburgh School District, and as such, Respondent has at all times relevant to these
proceedings been a "public official/public employee" as defined in Section 1102 of the
Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102.
1 Respondent as a public official/public employee is subject to the Statement of Financial
Interests filing provisions of the Ethics Act.
4. Respondent has failed to provide full financial disclosure as required by the Ethics Act.
Respondent has filed a deficient Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2016
and failed to file Statements of Financial. Interests for calendar years 2017 and 2018, which
Arrington, 2 [-010-P
Page 2
Statements of Financial Interests were to be filed [in proper form] by May I of 2017, May
I of 2018, and May I of 2019, respectively. Respondent has therefore transgressed Sections
1104 and 1105 of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1104, 1105.
By Notice letter dated March 3, 2020, Respondent was served with Notice in accordance
with Section 1107(5) of the Ethics Act of the specific allegations against Respondent
concerning the above transgressions. Said Notice letter provided Respondent an
opportunity to avoid the institution of these civil penalty proceedings by filing accurate and
complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 within
twenty (20) days of the date of the Notice letter. Respondent has failed and refused to file
accurate and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2016, 2017, and
2018 so as to comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics Act.
6. By Notice letter dated June 5, 2020, Respondent was served with Notice in accordance
with Section 1107(5) of the Ethics Act of the specific allegations against Respondent
concerning the above transgressions. Said Notice letter provided Respondent an
opportunity to avoid the institution of these civil penalty proceedings by filing accurate and
complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 within
twenty (20) days of the date of the Notice letter. Respondent has failed and refused to file
accurate and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2016, 2017, and
2018 so as to comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics Act.
7. Section 1109(f) of the Ethics Act provides:
§ 1109. Penalties
(f) Civil penalty. --In addition to any other civil remedy
or criminal penalty provided for in this chapter, the
commission may, after notice has been served in accordance
with section 1107(5) (relating to powers and duties of
commission) and upon a majority vote of its members, levy
a civil penalty upon any person subject to this chapter who
fails to file a statement of financial interests in a timely
manner or who files a deficient statement of financial
interests, at a rate of not more than $25 for each day such
statement remains delinquent or deficient. The maximum
penalty payable under this paragraph is $250.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1109(f).
For each violation the Commission finds, Respondent is subject to civil penalty liability
under Section 1109(f) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1109(f), at a rate of not more than
$25.00 per day for each day the Statement of Financial Interests remains delinquent or
deficient, for a maximum civil penalty of $250.00 per violation. Because Respondent has
committed three violations alleged herein, Respondent is subject to total maximum civil
penalty liability of $750,00,
Amain ton, 21-010-P
Page 3
9. There are no mitigating circumstances and Respondent should be assessed the maximum
civil penalty of $750.00, in that the twenty -day deadline set forth in the said final Notice
letter to Respondent has expired and the Respondent has not complied.
II. DISCUSSION:
As a Principal for the City of Pittsburgh School District, Deonne M. Arrington
("Arrington") was at all times relevant to these proceedings a "public official/public employee"
subject to the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S.
§ 1101 et seq.
Pursuant to Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, Arrington was specifically required to file
accurate and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018
with the City of Pittsburgh School District on or before May 1, 2017, May 1, 2018, and May 1,
2019, respectively. Section I I04(a) provides:
§ 1104. Statement of financial interests required to be filed
(a) Public official or public employee. --Each public official of the
Commonwealth shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding
calendar year with the commission no later than May 1 of each year that he holds
such a position and of the year after he leaves such a position. Each public
employee and public official of the Commonwealth shall file a statement of
financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the department, agency,
body or bureau in which he is employed or to which he is appointed or elected no
later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of the year after he
leaves such a position. Any other public employee or public official shall file a
statement of financial interests with the governing authority of the political
subdivision by which he is employed or within which he is appointed or elected no
later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of the year after he
leaves such a position. Persons who are full-time or part-time solicitors for political
subdivisions are required to file under this section.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1104(a).
The complete financial disclosure which Arrington as a Principal for the City of Pittsburgh
School District was required to provide in the Statement of Financial Interests form is statutorily
mandated in detail at Section 1105 of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1105.
Section I I09(f) of the Ethics Act provides as follows:
§ 1109. Penalties
(f) Civil penalty.-- In addition to any other civil remedy or criminal penalty
provided for in this chapter, the commission may, after notice has been served in
Arrington, 21-010-P
Page 4
accordance with section 1107(5) (relating to powers and duties of commission)
and upon a majority vote of its members, levy a civil penalty upon any person
subject to this chapter who fails to file a statement of financial interests in a timely
manner or who files a deficient statement of financial interests, at a rate of not more
than $25 for each day such statement remains delinquent or deficient. The
maximum penalty payable under this paragraph is $250.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1109(f).
An application of Section 1109(f) to this case establishes that this Commission has the
discretion to levy a maximum civil penalty against Arrington for each delinquent or deficient
Statement of Financial Interests for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018.
The prerequisite service of a Notice letter in accordance with Section 1107(5) was satisfied.
Arrington did not remedy the failure to comply with the Ethics Act although given more than the
usual grace period following Notice in which to do so. The Investigative Division then instituted
formal proceedings against Arrington by filing with the State Ethics Commission and serving upon
Arrington a Petition for Civil Penalties. The Commission Chair issued an Order to Show Cause,
ordering Arrington to show cause why civil penalties should not be levied against her. Arrington
did not file an answer to the Order to Show Cause. There is nothing of record that would constitute
a defense or excuse for Arrington's failure to comply with the Ethics Act. Arrington has failed to
show cause why civil penalties should not be levied against her in this matter.
We find that Arrington, as a Principal for the City of Pittsburgh School District, failed to
comply with Sections 1104(a) and 1105 of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1104(a), 1105, when she
filed a deficient Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2016 with the City of Pittsburgh
School District and failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2017 and
2018 with the City of Pittsburgh School District.
We hereby levy three maximum civil penalties against Arrington, each at the rate of
Twenty -Five Dollars ($25.00) per day, for each day her Statements of Financial Interests for
calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 have remained delinquent or deficient. Given the number of
days during which the Statements of Financial Interests have remained delinquent or deficient, the
resultant amount to be levied against Arrington is Seven Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($750.00).
Arrington shall be ordered to make payment of the above civil penalties in the total amount
of $750.00 by no later than the thirtieth (301h) day after the mailing date of this adjudication and
Order, by forwarding a check to this Commission made payable to the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, for deposit in the State Treasury.
Arrington shall be ordered to file complete and accurate Statements of Financial Interests
for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 with the City of Pittsburgh School District by no later
than the thirtieth (30th) day after the mailing date of this adjudication and Order, with a copy of
each such filing forwarded to this Commission for compliance verification purposes.
Arrington, 21-010-P
Page 5
III. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:
Deonne M. Arrington ("Arrington"), as a Principal for the City of Pittsburgh School
District, was at all times relevant to these proceedings a "public official/public employee"
subject to the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65
Pa.C.S. § 1101 et sue.
2. Arrington, as a Principal for the City of Pittsburgh School District, failed to comply with
Sections 1104(a) and 1105 of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1104(a), 1105, when she filed
a deficient Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2016 with the City of
Pittsburgh School District and failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar
years 2017 and 2018 with the City of Pittsburgh School District.
3. Notice of the deficiency of Arrington's Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year
2016 and of the delinquency of her Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years
2017 and 2018 was previously served upon her in accordance with Section 1107(5) of the
Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1107(5).
4. Based upon the totality of the circumstances in this case, the imposition of three maximum
civil penalties in the total amount of $750.00 is warranted.
In Re: Dconnc M. Arrington, File Docket: 21-010-P
Respondent Date Decided: 9/15/21
Date Mailed: 9/17/21
ORDER NO.704-S
Deonne M. Arrington ("Arrington"), as a Principal for the City of Pittsburgh School
District, failed to comply with Sections 1104(a) and 1105 of the Public Official and
Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1104(a), 1105, when she fled a
deficient Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2016 with the City of Pittsburgh
School District and failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2017
and 2018 with the City of Pittsburgh School District.
2, This Commission hereby levies three maximum civil penalties against Arrington, each at
the rate of Twenty -Five Dollars ($25.00) per day, for each day her Statements of Financial
Interests for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 have remained delinquent, for total civil
penalty liability of Seven Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($750.00). Arrington is ordered to
pay said civil penalties in the total amount of $750.00 by no later than the thirtieth (30th)
day after the mailing date of this Order, by forwarding a check to the Pennsylvania State
Ethics Commission made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for deposit in
the State Treasury.
3. Arrington is ordered to file complete and accurate Statements of Financial Interests for
calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018 with the City of Pittsburgh School District by no later
than the thirtieth (30"') day after the mailing date of this Order, with a copy of each such
filing forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission for compliance verification
purposes.
4. Failure to comply with Paragraph 2 or 3 of this Order will result in the initiation of an
appropriate enforcement action.
BY THE COMMISSION,
pt��. U_/,�,m
Nicholas A. ColafeIla, Chai