(WA) Slackers, Wasters

Columbian ^ | 3-9-05 | Staff

[truth49]

Any private business that does not welcome a financial audit from a qualified and objective source, and then does not quickly implement recommendations, deserves what it gets: continued inefficiencies, loss of customers and ultimately going out of business.

Many of our 175 state agencies can't or won't follow that simple logic. For these agencies, the boss and the customers are the same: Washington state's taxpaying public.

State Auditor Brian Sonntag's office on Monday released a 193-page compilation of audit findings for last year, and two giant red flags were hoisted immediately: According to the auditor, some agencies drag their feet when examiners come a-knockin'. These slacker agencies should find another metaphor to be more apt. Instead of foot-dragging, they should hot-foot it over to Sonntag's office, salute him, thank him and take a vow of obedience.

And, according to the government watchdog group Evergreen Freedom Foundation, 23 of the 41 general findings are repeats from last year's report. Totally unacceptable. Why does a government agency have to be told twice to improve its operation?

One candidate for worst and most-persistent offender is the state ferries system, which has drawn criticism for almost two decades. The auditor's office cannot "provide reasonable assurance that public funds are safeguarded" by the ferries system. With 190 ticket clerks raking in $123 million a year in fares, strong safeguards would seem mandatory.

In terms of pure size, the worst offender could be the state's Medicaid system. Sonntag's office says it cannot determine if the program properly spent $6.1 billion, because auditors were denied access to key information.

Elsewhere, according to the report: The state overpaid vendors, and recipients of state benefits by $1.3 million; unemployment checks totaling almost $143,000 were paid to ineligible recipients; and $185,000 was illegally paid during claimants' first week of unemployment.

Pretty soon, this starts adding up to real money: The monolithic Department of Social and Health Services was dressed down for $2.2 million in overpayments and $905,000 in payments to child-care providers who lacked proper documentation. (Gov. Christine Gregoire on Tuesday appointed Robin Arnold-Williams as new DSHS director. Arnold-Williams led Utah's Human Services office for more than seven years.)

Also, Washington state's Office of International Trade bought almost $26,000 in furniture without proper bidding and procurement procedures. Here's a shocker: The state withheld more than $1.1 million from beneficiaries of pension members who have been dead for as long as 40 years.

The Legislature should respond in two powerful ways. Reprimand offending agencies when their crocodile tears start cascading into the budget trough, and grant Sonntag's office full power to conduct independent performance audits as well as financial audits. Performance audits have helped other states and, as indicated by this week's findings, are needed here.

[truth49]

see also:

Governor must act on ongoing audit problems
State Auditor releases "2004 Statewide Accountability Report"
Audit troubles: Chronic problems for agency bean-counters

[truth49]

http://www.effwa.org/press_releases/2005_03_07.php for second link above.

[secretagent]

One candidate for worst and most-persistent offender is the state ferries system, which has drawn criticism for almost two decades.

Sell the ferries to the highest bidder. Give public notice of two years.

[Jack Black]

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