SAINT PAUL – The Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released a new report Monday that found the Minnesota Board on Aging “did not have adequate internal controls to ensure compliance with significant legal requirements for the Senior Nutrition Program.” Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) released the following statement on these new OLA findings:
“Taxpayers are tired of their hard-earned money being misused. Once again, the Walz Administration and Democrats are demonstrating their lack of oversight and competence in effectively managing state programs. This is the second OLA report this year that found a government program to have ‘pervasive noncompliance’ with other state agencies’ grants management processes. Money that is meant to go to seniors, should go to seniors. We must ensure that government is a good steward of taxpayer dollars and that bureaucrats who fail to manage programs well are held accountable.”
Robbins introduced a bill (H.F. 1745) last session to fix the systemic issues plaguing Minnesota grant programs. Her bill would establish a Director of Grants Management and Oversight within the Department of Administration, require basic uniform standards for grantmaking and grants management for all state agencies, and require grant reporting so other agencies and the public can better track grant performance.
“Next session, the legislature must address the problems with Minnesota’s grant programs. Protecting taxpayer dollars from going to programs that are mismanaged is a bipartisan issue. I look forward to working together to addressing this critical issue and defending Minnesota taxpayers.”
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