Statement from Deputy State Auditor Jan Jutte on reductions in Performance Audit funding

OLYMPIA – Deputy State Auditor Jan Jutte today issued the following statement regarding the supplemental state budget passed by the Legislature:

“Yesterday, I met with our Office’s Performance Audit Team – people who work every day to find ways to improve public services – and explained that some will lose their jobs as a result of the budget just approved by the Legislature.

That budget will divert $22.6 million the voters had dedicated to the performance audit program to other agencies, a full 74 percent of our revenue. These are not, as some suggested, merely excess funds, which can be taken without harming our work.

A cut of this magnitude mandates layoffs, eliminating audits and canceling contracts with performance experts. “Today we will contact subject matter experts we rely on, such as those that test the security of government computer systems. We’ll tell them to stop work immediately.

I am certain that more of our important government accountability work, including performance audits, will be halted or reduced. Before I can detail those repercussions, however, I must first work through the effect of these cuts on my team. Then we can determine what work our reduced staff can most effectively handle.

The Legislature places little value on our efforts to hold government accountable for its use of public resources, and that is disheartening.

But I still believe in the importance of our mission to the public. We do great work for the people of Washington, and we will continue to do so with our remaining resources.”