(WA) Senate authorizes meaningful performance audits of DOT

Evergreen Freedom Foundation ^ | 4-20-05 | Booker Stallworth

[truth49]

OLYMPIA—A compromise to secure Republican votes for transportation tax increases was reached today in the Senate. The adopted compromise authorizes performance audits of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Today’s vote directly conflicts with the Senate’s previous vote on ESHB 1064 (performance audits for state government).

Senate Democrats previously rejected amendments offered on ESHB 1064 by Sen. Bill Finkbeiner and Sen. Pam Roach that would have granted the state auditor authority to conduct independent comprehensive performance audits of all of state government, including DOT. As approved, ESHB 1064 exempted DOT (transportation reviews were left to an unelected Transportation Audit Board) and did not grant the elected state auditor the authority to establish performance audit criteria.

The bill approved today, however, only affects DOT. Performance audit criteria for the rest of state government will be determined by an unelected political board as established by ESHB 1064.

“While the Senate is to be commended for authorizing real performance audits of DOT, why stop there?” asked Jason Mercier, budget analyst for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. “The reasons DOT needs to be subject to independent comprehensive performance audits apply to the rest of state government too.”

This vote reversal was necessary because Senate Republicans refused to support transportation tax increases without the authorization of meaningful performance audits of DOT by the elected state auditor. Democrats were not willing to approve transportation tax increases without Republican support for fear that the tax vote might be used as a campaign issue.

“Are Senate Democrats saying the only time they are willing to support meaningful accountability is when they want political cover to raise taxes?” asked Mercier.