(a) Any person who knowingly makes a false statement of material fact to the City in violation of any statute, ordinance, or regulation, or who knowingly makes a false statement of material fact to the City in connection with any application, report, affidavit, oath, or attestation, including a statement of material fact made in connection with a bid, proposal, contract, or economic disclosure statement or affidavit, is liable to the City for a civil penalty of not less than $500.00 and not more than $10,000.00, plus up to three times the amount of damages which the City sustains because of the person’s violation of this section. A person who violates this section shall also be liable for the City’s litigation and collection costs and attorney’s fees. The penalties imposed by this section shall be in addition to any other penalty provided for in the Code.
(b) Any person who signs, certifies, attests, submits or otherwise provides assurances to the city, or causes any other person to sign, certify, attest, submit or otherwise provide assurances to the city, that a statement of material fact made in connection with any application, report, affidavit, oath, attestation or other document submitted to the city is accurate, true or complete, shall make a reasonable investigation to determine the accuracy, truthfulness or completeness of such statement of material fact.
(c) When any person signs, certifies, attests, submits or otherwise provides assurances to the city, or causes any other person to sign, certify, attest, submit or otherwise provide assurances to the city, that a statement of material fact made in connection with any application, report, affidavit, oath, attestation or other document submitted to the city is accurate, true or complete, and that statement of material fact is not accurate, true or complete, a rebuttable presumption shall be created that such person has not made a reasonable investigation to determine the accuracy, truthfulness or completeness of such statement of material fact.
(d) For the purposes of Chapter 1-21 of this Code, a person knowingly makes a false statement of material fact when that person (i) makes a statement of material fact with actual knowledge that the statement was false, or (ii) makes a statement of material fact with knowledge of facts or information that would cause a reasonable person to be aware that the statement was false when it was made, or (iii) signs, certifies, attests, submits or otherwise provides assurances, or causes any other person to sign, certify, attest, submit or otherwise provide assurances, that a statement of material fact is true or accurate in deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the statement. For purposes of this section, a person who fails to make a reasonable investigation to determine the accuracy, truthfulness or completeness of any material fact acts in deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the material fact.
(Added Coun. J. 12-15-04, p. 39915, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-18-09, p. 56013, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 22879, Art. IV, § 3)
Loading...