ST. PAUL – State Rep. Bernie Perryman, R-St. Cloud, is calling for heightened state agency accountability and better accounting after yet another non-partisan audit revealed serious mismanagement and lost taxpayer revenue in Minnesota.
This time, a report issued Tuesday by the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor indicates DHS did not comply with significant finance-related legal requirements, has not attempted to recover substantial overpayments totaling more than $40 million to Medical Assistance providers, and has not accurately reported its accounts receivable balance to Minnesota Management and Budget for inclusion in the state’s financial statements since 2019.
“It is hard to comprehend how bad our government is failing Minnesota taxpayers by lacking even the most basic accountability standards and accountability measures,” Perryman said. “The degree to which this waste is happening across so many agencies is outrageous and is costing taxpayers dearly.
“It is clear state agencies have become rather relaxed in their practices with one-party control down in St. Paul, but that’s about to change with Republicans gaining equal power in the House. We are going to enter the new session this January with a focus on tightening things up and demanding greater accountability from our agencies. It is especially important to use common sense and track every last dollar the agencies spend since the state’s latest budget forecast shows a $5 billion shortfall on the horizon.”
Perryman said House Republicans are sending formal letters to all 25 state agency commissioners, requesting detailed information on department expenditures, potential areas for cost savings, how to increase efficiencies, and areas for budget reductions within their operations. She said this is the first step in House Republicans’ efforts to rein in out-of-control spending and stabilize Minnesota’s long-term budget outlook.
This audit is just the latest in a series of reports Perryman said reveal rampant fraud and waste in Minnesota departments and programs, from Feeding our Future to childcare assistance, frontline worker pay, and DHS and the Department of Education, costing Minnesota taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
The full OLA audit regarding DHS mismanagement is available at https://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/.
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