State Board Of Accounts Staff Slashed 30% In Past Ten Years Due To Budget Cuts

It's a wonder any fraud gets detected in state and local government in Indiana. The State Board of Accounts made public its case today for more funding to beef up its staff. According to Call 6's Kara Kenney, the agency's staff has been slashed 30% in the past ten years.

Due to budget constraints, the State Board of Accounts has seen its staff shrink from 315 in 2004 to 208 in 2014, according to State Examiner Paul Joyce.

Joyce went before the Legislative Council Audit and Financial Reporting Subcommittee Monday morning to make his case.

Joyce did not ask for a specific dollar amount or staffing level, but he made the case for a different schedule of audits and fee structure.

“It goes back to accountability on what happens with taxpayers’ money,” said Joyce. “It costs more to do things than it did before. It’s a systemic issue we’ve had.”

SBOA has been forced to suspend auditing financial records of some entities such as libraries and some public school accounts . . .  

Joyce is hoping for a change in state law that will give SBOA more flexibility with the staff they have.

“I'm in support of the State Board of Accounts receiving the funding it needs to continue to provide audits particularly to small government units,” said Greg Wright, Certified Fraud Examiner and former school board member in MSD Washington Township.

Joyce said if SBOA can’t get the resources it needs, you might see fewer headlines about public corruption, but not because it’s not happening.

“I think it will go unchecked, which therefore, it will go unpunished,” said Joyce . . .