Washington state governments

As the end of the year draws near, I want to thank you for your commitment to transparency and accountability. Good government is a shared mission, and I am proud to partner with you in our work.

OLYMPIA – Although the Washington State Department of Transportation experienced delays and cost overruns as it developed a new tolling system, the agency followed state requirements and many leading practices, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.

SAO's latest performance audit report looked at the Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) contracting processes for tolling. While that audit didn't involve local governments, WSDOT plays a large role in how they obtain state resources to improve local road systems. This got staff in SAO's Center for Government Innovation thinking about how much transportation funding WSDOT distributes statewide.

Local governments should be more data-driven and focused on results when addressing homelessness, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.

Auditors reviewed the way two cities and two counties contracted for services aimed at alleviating homelessness. They found that the governments did take some steps to align their work with federal guidelines, such as consulting with stakeholders when considering the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Washington has followed best practices in speeding the testing of sexual assault kits and has implemented a kit tracking system, a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor found. However, a backlog of untested kits remains.

Hello, WFOA 2022! The State Auditor's Office is excited to be reconnecting with our partners in government accountability at the first in-person WFOA annual conference in three years. We're bringing our ‘A' (audit) game this year with four pre-conference trainings and 13 sessions. Our staff are presenting sessions on new BARS updates and lease accounting requirements, payroll and credit card internal controls, tips for fighting and reporting fraud, and much more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug. 8, 2022

OLYMPIA – The Office of the Washington State Auditor's annual audit of federal money spent in the state revealed 61 areas of concern across 21 federal programs. Because of a lack of documentation, auditors were unable to audit one entire program, calling into question at least $271 million in spending.

These issues and more can be found today in an accessible summary of the extensive audit report by the State Auditor's Office (SAO).

Imagine you are planning an expensive Hawaiian vacation—your first in two years. One of the first things you check is whether any of the costs are refundable if something were to prevent you from going. When you learn you could lose your deposit if you pull out of the trip, you plan to buy trip insurance just to be safe. In other words, you've identified a risk and found a way to mitigate it.

Do you have cash handling responsibilities in your organization? A new online, on-demand training from the Center for Government Innovation will help you design good internal controls and understand common cash receipting fraud schemes. You'll also learn how to develop cash handling best practices and the steps you should take if your organization experiences or suspects fraud.

Published: March 31, 2022

Before hiring a contractor to work on your home, it's wise to make sure they are licensed, bonded and insured. It helps to protect you if the contractor doesn't complete work properly, if there are any damages, or if workers are injured while at your home. For governments, it's not just wise—it's required by law.