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Return to Article: Lawmaker proposes funding for states to oversee stimulus

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  Whose fault was it that states did not have any money for oversight? Again, Congress makes another mistake. Instead of giving more money Congress should allow local governments to use stimulus money for oversight. Maybe the states will step up and only use the dollars necessary for oversight and use the remaining dollars on actual projects. Our political process has to change!!!!

  DRB Posted April 28, 2009 9:16 AM
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  As many others have stated the various stimulus plans were not well thought out as to how to report on the expenditures or what they could be used for. The government has already given the states billions of dollars, so make them include their oversight within the money they have already been provided. The stimulus money should be released as progress is shown on projects. Make the federal and state agencies receiving any federal funding - stimulus or otherwise - show that they currently have an accounting system in place that allows the expenditures to be controlled and tracked back to what it was used for. This is what's required of contractors working for the federal government so why should the federal and state agencies be different? It appears our legislators are taking the attitude that anytime there is an issue with the stimulus funding they'll just throw more money out there, rather than trying to get the biggest bang for the taxpayers dollars they have already spent.

  Barry Lippencott Posted April 28, 2009 7:55 AM
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  As a former government compliance auditor and now in practice dealing with contract compliance I see a real need to take oversight to another level beyond counting contracts and expenditures. Funding should be set aside up front to provide the public with assurance that contractors, vendors and consultants have appropriate systems and procedures to account for the funds and comply with contract terms and that pricing of contracts is fair and reasonable. Compliance is often an after-thought in government programs. Better to address it up front, particularly to assist agencies that do not routinely deal with Federal requirements.

  Thomas Goodfellow Posted April 27, 2009 10:22 AM
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  Maybe it is time to implement inexpensive web based tools like CertiClear's JOB COUNTER tool? A simple consolidated platform to count the jobs and the dollars all the way through the stimulus chain - all reportable and compatible with Recovery.gov and OMB section 1512! What are they waiting for?

  Under stimulated Posted April 23, 2009 12:27 PM
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  Lets see $3 Trillion in debt in 100 days and we have another way to waste $$$. Looks like its time for more tea parties cause these guys ain't listening

  dan m ketter Posted April 22, 2009 8:21 PM
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  This needs to be expanded to include funds to state for the coordination of the use of funds.. there is no real coordination being done now.. in either the planning for the use of ARRA funds or in their actrual use..

  rick patoski Posted April 22, 2009 12:21 PM
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  I think the stimulus bill should be ammended to allow a one or two percent fee to be taken from allotted funds for this purpose. We do not need to keep piling on more money. The auditing is a condition of receiving the money. States need live with what was given, including the audit functions.

  Kreg Posted April 22, 2009 11:36 AM
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  I would like to recommend a mandatory training on management and reporting for all agencies within the respective States receiving Recovery Act dollars.

  The reporting time of 10 days following the quarter is unattainable due to agencies recording and posting of salaries, delivery of equipment purchases, and the invoicing of purchases made within the grant period. An appropriate reporting time will be 60 days due to the additional number of grants managed by the agencies.

  Nandalyn Heaitley Posted April 22, 2009 11:13 AM