More information

The Governor's Office hired Sterling Associates to prepare state agencies for performance audits:

Ten Tips for Surviving a Performance Audit, by Secretary Mary Selecky, Washington Department of Health

Research project on the State Auditor’s performance audit program by the Association of Government Accountants: Challenges in Performance Auditing: How a State Auditor with Intriguing New Performance Auditing Authority is Meeting Them

Governing Magazine’s report on citizens and performance

About performance audit

Citizens gave the State Auditor’s Office authority to conduct performance audits in November 2005 with the passage of Initiative 900.

Since then, we have conducted nearly two dozen performance audits of state and local governments. Our audits have identified $3.8 billion in one-time and long-term potential cost savings, unnecessary spending and financial impacts.

Performance audit summary results

We conducted outreach with citizens to shape the direction of our performance audits.

Audited agencies are required to report by July 1 of each year the implementation status of performance audit recommendations.

The Legislature also recognizes the value of our performance audit efforts. The 2009 Legislature directed us to conduct a performance audit of building and inspection fees in eight counties.
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