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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of February 6.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 2/6/2012 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of January 30:
King County received a finding for inadequate internal controls to ensure compliance with federal requirements with its federal transit grant programs.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 1/30/2012 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of January 23.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091
| 1/23/2012 | |
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As part of its commitment to government transparency, the State Auditor’s Office is expanding the financial information it provides on local governments.
This major upgrade to the Local Government Financial Reporting System (LGFRS) contains revenue and expenditure data for nearly all local governments in Washington State. Prior to this expansion, data was available for only for counties, cities, ports and transits. Users now can track financial trends for more than 30 types of individual entities and across entity types.
The data may be accessed through http://portal.sao.wa.gov/LGCS/Reports/ beginning January 17, 2012.
The success of this project is due in part to the valuable insights provided by our many local government, state government, and government association partners.
If you have any questions regarding LGFRS, please contact Christy Raske at 360-725-5593. | 1/17/2012 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of January 17.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 1/17/2012 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published a whistleblower report at the Department of Social and Health Services regarding an employee using a work computer for a personal business.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 1/10/2012 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of January 3:
- A finding for Grays Harbor County regarding its decline in financial position.
- A finding regarding the City of Sumner Golf Course being unable to repay interfund loans of nearly $1 million.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 1/4/2012 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office published a combined 2011 annual report and CAFR summary letter.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 12/30/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of December 27. These reports include:
- A special report for L & I's Workers' Compensation program.
- A finding regarding Edmonds Center for the Arts not properly separating public and private funds to ensure it does not make gifts of public funds.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 12/27/2011 | |
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Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 12/19/2011 | |
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Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 12/13/2011 | |
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Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 12/5/2011 | |
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This audit was designed to determine whether the Medicaid program and Workers' Compensation are overpaying providers of client services.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/30/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor’s Office is pleased to present our 2011 performance audit progress report. Each year we summarize the responses and results from performance audits we conducted in the previous calendar year, allowing audited agencies at least six to eighteen months to take action on the recommendations.
http://www.sao.wa.gov/AuditReports/AuditReportFiles/ar1006818.pdf
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/29/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of November 28. These reports include:
- A Performance Audit on city overhead charges.
- Klickitat County PUD No. 1 received a finding for not complying with state competitive bid laws.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/28/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of November 21.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/21/2011 | |
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The State Auditor's Office published a new whistleblower report today on DSHS' Special Commitment Center. The Center failed to obtain written contracts for medical services for its residents and failed to monitor medical payments, resulting in a gross waste of public funds. The full report can be found here.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/15/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office has published new audit reports for the week of November 14. Included in these audit reports is a finding for the City of Enumclaw regarding:
To view all of the reports:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/14/2011 | |
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During past audits of individual state agencies, we identified numerous issues that we reported as findings. Based on the dollars at risk, whether action had been taken to mitigate risks identified in the previous findings, and the potential for misappropriation, we chose 20 findings for follow up in 2011. We found 10 had been resolved. http://www.sao.wa.gov/AuditReports/AuditReportFiles/ar1006746.pdf
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/10/2011 | |
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Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/7/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor’s Office is pleased to present our performance audit of state mail services. The audit report identifies several opportunities for state agencies to reduce mail volume and costs and includes examples of actions they have already taken.
We hope you find this report useful, and we welcome comments and suggestions for future reports.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 11/1/2011 | |
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The State Auditor's Office published new audit reports for the week of October 31.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 10/31/2011 | |
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This edition contains information about:
- Financial Guarantees
- New Client Services
- AGO: Personal Use of Public Credit Cards
- Audit Focus: ALE Programs
- Audit Focus: Self Insurance Programs
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 10/28/2011 | |
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Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 10/24/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor’s Office
At a time when the government at all levels is held in low repute, one Olympian body has avoided our electorate’s ire. No doubt since its charge is quashing government waste and fraud, the Washington State Auditor’s Office is seen as truly doing the people’s work. Some 325 statewide staffers scour the books, investigate whistle-blower and fraud complaints, and conduct performance audits of all state and local agencies and schools. Recent pecuniary plaudits range from alleging $306,000 in overpayments to Office Depot; $1.8 million in mismanaged funds by Seattle Public Schools, leading to the ouster of superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson; multimillions overspent on a park project near Port Townsend and on Sea-Tac’s third runway. Plus, via performance audits, in 2009, the office identified $285 million in potential government savings and, in 2010, millions in cost savings for Seattle City Light customers. Head honcho Brian Sonntag’s call for a delinquent-taxpayer amnesty also netted state coffers $282 million. Now, that’s our idea of fiscal accountability. http://www.seattlemagazine.com/article/arts/seattles-most-influential-people-2011
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 10/19/2011 | |
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The State Auditor's Office published six new whistleblower reports. Five of these reports relate to personal use of state resources. These reports are available at the link listed below:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 10/18/2011 | |
| The State Auditor's Office published new audit reports of state and local governments for the week of October 10. One of the reports issued was a Whistleblower report at the Evergreen State College regarding controls over its Study Abroad program. These reports are available at the link listed below:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 10/17/2011 | |
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Prior audits have identified concerns regarding how state agencies manage grant programs; how recipients spend grant funds; and the adequacy of documentation to support those expenditures. Based on these issues and the risks they create for unallowable payments, we focused a portion of our 2010 audit work on grants.
Please see the link for the entire report: http://www.sao.wa.gov/AuditReports/AuditReportFiles/ar1006575.pdf
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 10/10/2011 | |
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The Auditor's Office has begun a series of audits designed to identify opportunities for the state to improve the way it interacts with businesses. These regulatory reform audits will focus on the activities of 26 state regulatory agencies that administer more than 1,300 business licenses, permits and inspections. To gather baseline information, we compiled an inventory available at the link listed below:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 9/30/2011 | |
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We identified issues at several state agencies regarding the use and monitoring of state purchase cards in previous years. In calendar year 2010, state agencies used these cards to pay for travel and goods and services valued at more than $112 million. Based on the total dollars spent, the state’s increasing use of purchase cards, past audits and the risk for misuse and unallowable purchases, we focused part of this year’s state audit work in this area.
See the full report at the link listed below:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 9/28/2011 | |
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This audit looks at the Working Connections Child Care program administered by the Department of Early Learning (DEL) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). The program helps low-income families pay for child care while they work, look for work, or attend job training as required by WorkFirst, one of the state’s public assistance programs.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 9/21/2011 | |
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Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 9/19/2011 | |
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Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 9/12/2011 | |
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The State Auditor's Office published new audit reports of state and local governments, including findings and two fraud reports for:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 9/6/2011 | |
| The State Auditor’s Office is pleased to present our performance audit of the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program administered by the state Department of Commerce. The program received a major funding increase in 2009 through the federal economic stimulus act, and we audited it to evaluate Commerce’s process for making sure the funds were spent appropriately at the local level.
| 8/24/2011 | |
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The State Auditor's Office published new audit reports of state and local governments, including a federal finding for the City of Auburn and an accountability finding for the Elma School District:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 8/3/2011 | |
| The State Auditor's Office publishes new audit reports of state and local governments, including financial audits for the City of Granger resulting in two findings:
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 7/27/2011 | |
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The State Auditor's Office today published new audit reports today in addition to a Whistleblower report. In the Whistleblower report we found evidence of an improper governmental action at the Department of Social and Health Services.
In November 2009, we received a whistleblower assertion that an employee of the Department of Social and Health Services authorized payments to a contractor who did not provide contract deliverables.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 7/18/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor’s Office is pleased to present the Performance-Based Contracting review on current state practices. Our review identifies the status of performance-based contracting, opportunities for improvement and leading practices. Our recommendations highlight areas where agencies may enhance the use of performance-based contracting, improve contract management and increase staff expertise.
You will find the review here or at our website at sao.wa.gov.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 7/5/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor’s Office is pleased to present the K-20 Educational Network activity assessment. This assessment answers the following questions in response to legislation enacted in 2010:
- Does the K-20 Network continue to serve the purpose for which it was created?
- What does the Network cost, and what would be the impact if it were eliminated?
- Are there more cost effective ways to achieve the objectives of the Network?
You will find the report here or at our website at sao.wa.gov.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 7/5/2011 | |
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The State Auditor's Office today reported on a fraud that we identified at Birch Bay Water and Sewer District in Whatcom County.
We found the District Treasurer misappropriated $468,840 from 2003 through 2010. The Treasurer made unauthorized payments to his credit card and personal bank account, his wife and his church.
The results of the investigation are contained in the report.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 6/20/2011 | |
| The State Auditor's Office today published a Whistleblower report in which we found evidence of an improper governmental action at the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
We found the agency improperly returned 448 hours of leave to six exempt employees. The employees should have not been eligible to use the leave, according to state law. The 448 hours' worth of leave represents $22,395 in salary payments.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 6/14/2011 | |
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- Crime Victims Programs at the departments of Labor and Industries, Social and Health Services and Commerce.
- Department of Commerce's State Energy Program.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 6/13/2011 | |
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The Washington State Executive Ethics Board issued its largest-ever fine to a state employee at Evergreen State College who was the subject of a State Auditor's Office fraud investigation.
In July 2009, we issued a fraud report detailing an Evergreen instructor's misappropriation of at least $50,000 in public funds from the Academic Travel Program between January 1, 2005 and September 30, 2008. We referred the case to the Executive Ethics Board.
State law requires that all state agencies and local governments immediately notify the State Auditor's Office if they know of or suspect a loss of public resources. The State Auditor's fraud program investigates and reports on all losses of public funds.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091
| 6/3/2011 | |
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This edition contains information about:
- The big results from the business tax amnesty program recommended by the State Auditor in 2009
- Funds for cash-basis local governments
- Revisions to the BARS chart of accounts
- Public records implications of confidential information
- Performance audit results
| 5/20/2011 | |
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The Washington State Auditor's Office today reported on a Whistleblower investigation of a Washington State Department of Transportation property purchase in Southwest Washington.
The whistleblower asserted:
- A conflict of interest between the project manager and the appraiser, who are father and son.
- The Department purchased the property at an inflated price.
- A Department employee gave confidential information to the property owner during the negotiations for the property.
View the report
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 5/16/2011 | |
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A statewide business tax amnesty – identified in 2009 by the State Auditor’s Office as an effective way to increase state revenue without raising taxes – has generated $320.7 million for Washington state and local governments. Washington’s amnesty effort is the second-most successful program in the nation, trailing New Jersey’s 2009 collection of $750 million.
The Governor and the Legislature authorized the amnesty program in December 2010, enabling businesses to pay back taxes without penalties or interest. From February 1 through April 30 of this year, nearly 8,900 businesses took advantage of program.
The tax collections, announced this week by the Department of Revenue, exceeded the Department’s initial estimate of $28 million by more than 10 times.
State taxes make up $263.9 million of the amnesty receipts. Local taxes account for the remaining $56.8 million, which will be shared by cities and counties across the state.
State Auditor Brian Sonntag said the amnesty benefits will be widespread and long-lasting. “As we said in 2009, Washington will benefit in two ways,” Sonntag said. “State government and communities across the state are receiving revenue that would have taken years to collect through traditional efforts. Also, the newly registered businesses are more likely to pay their taxes on time in the future.”
The amnesty program was one of several reform ideas evaluated in the State Auditor’s Office’s 2009 State Government Performance Review.
To date, the State Auditor’s performance reviews and the state and local government performance audits conducted under the authority of Initiative 900, approved by Washington voters in 2005, have identified more than $1 billion in potential savings and new revenue.
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091
| 5/4/2011 | |
| We reported today the results of our audit the Department of Labor & Industries' Workers’ Compensation Program, which spent nearly $29 million in 2009 to cover more than 400,000 prescriptions for injured workers.
We found the Department is following leading practices in using generics when appropriate -- 88 percent of its 2009 prescription drug purchases were generics.
We identified several opportunities for the Department to save money on prescription drugs:
- It could have saved $7.1 million - $8 million in 2009 by paying the same reimbursement rates as the Health Care Authority.
- It could save $2.3 million per year on reimbursements if it adopted the Health Care Authority’s 2011 price structure.
- In 2009, it could have saved $107,000 by using mail-order pharmacies and $117,000 by encouraging clients to split pills when doctors deem it safe to do so.
- State law prohibits L&I from using two cost-saving practices that could have saved it $146,000 per year based on 2009 costs -- allowing physicians to prescribe brand-name drugs only when generic equivalents are not available, and allowing pharmacists to substitute equivalent generics when they are safe and available.
Two-page summary
Full report
Media contact: Communications Director Mindy Chambers, (360) 902-0091 | 5/4/2011 | |