Mo. unclaimed property ads cost more than $650K

Monday, July 18, 2011

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY’-ful) spent more than $650,000 to run the newspaper advertisements listing the names of thousands of people with unclaimed property in state custody.

The treasurer’s office is required by state law to publish the unclaimed property lists in general circulation newspapers serving the counties in which the people last lived. The lists raised eyebrows recently when they took up numerous pages in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Kansas City Star.

Records provided by the treasurer’s office show the state saved money by using the two big papers instead of several smaller papers in the metro areas. The records show the treasurer’s office paid $656,724 to run the notices in newspapers statewide during the fiscal year that ended in June.

More like this story

JCLifer 1 year, 11 months ago

This seems very stupid.

gofish 1 year, 11 months ago

I wonder if the state recieved a discounted rate? Either way I agree, the legislature needs to change the law. Pull out the good 'ole copy machine and mail the list to each county to post the list at county court houses. Then send out a press release to the MO AP wire. Newspaper publication is very inefficient because you will only reach the people that are subscribers.

Please review our Policies and Procedures before registering or commenting

Or login with:

OpenID

News Tribune