Announcements

Our Office would like to thank every local government that filed its fiscal year 2023 annual report on time! This year, about 86 percent of local governments met the annual filing deadline (more than 1500 total), proving once again that compliance, accountability and transparency matter in Washington state.

A novel Washington program to help local governments quickly improve their cybersecurity was honored by the National State Auditors Association during its recent conference in Boise, Idaho. 

Five years ago, the Office of the Washington State Auditor advised the town of Cusick that it had inadequate controls over its payroll and credit cards. Had the small government followed its audit recommendations then, it likely could have avoided more recent, and much larger, losses.  

The Washington Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) is hosting its annual conference this week in Tacoma and SAO representatives will be there, sharing the latest news on financial reporting and auditing issues specifically for schools and school districts.

As a bonus, we’ve created a special-edition Audit Connection newsletter filled with articles and information designed to help school business officials throughout Washington state.

How long has it been since your government evaluated its credit card program? Was it when we published our original best practice resource in July 2019, just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Law enforcement officers can seize property they believe has been involved in or is the proceeds of a crime through a legal tool called civil asset forfeiture. The process does not require an arrest, charge or criminal conviction of the property’s owner. 

In a new report, the first of its kind in the state, the Office of the Washington State Auditor described how civil asset forfeiture works, based on an analysis of data and practices at eight law enforcement agencies.  

Certain cities and counties in Washington are required to meet a 120-day deadline to make decisions on development permits. However, the actual processing time varies widely between localities and permit types, a new performance audit found. 

Several irrigation and drainage districts near Yakima hired the same bookkeeper who misappropriated public funds through a variety of schemes, according to a report published today by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.

An audit released today by the Office of the Washington State Auditor revealed a significant lack of controls over financial operations in the Pierce County Superior Court Clerk’s Office, including taking no action to pay out several large accounts held in trust.

“Simply put, the results of this audit are a cause for serious concern. The financial operations of the clerk’s office have a direct impact on those who trust in our court system to resolve their legal issues and handle funds attentively,” said State Auditor Pat McCarthy.