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WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said one of the most common problems his office encounters is getting recommendations about what should have been scrutinized after an audit is complete. The office welcomes input anytime before such work is done, and for residents of Luzerne County, he offered a few upcoming reviews:
• An audit of Dallas School District is underway.
• An audit of Hazleton Area School District is scheduled to start by the end of this year.
• An audit of Wilkes-Barre Area School District is slated for 2016.
“People can call the hot line (1-800-922-8477) or go to the website, paauditor.gov,” DePasquale said during a visit Friday with Times Leader’s Editorial Board.
The office audits roughly one third of the state’s 500 school districts each year, DePasquale said. That coupled with hundreds of other audits makes it impractical to send out notices at the start of each audit so the public can suggest things to look for. But those suggestions are always welcome.
“We average about five tips a day,” DePasquale said, adding that about 20 percent pan out as valuable information.
The office does announce the launch of large-scale, special audits, and DePasquale mentioned a few: a review of the Department of Health’s system for handling nursing home complaints, a look at the State Turnpike Commission and the gaming Commission.
DePasquale touted improved efficiency in his office that result in more audits done these day s with a staff of 468 than were done in the 1990s with a staff of 906. He also noted he took office with a $3.5 million deficit and has built up a surplus of more than $4 million this year that can go a long way in making sure his staff has updated equipment and training even if the current budget battle in Harrisburg drags on.
DePasquale contends his office has found some $19 million in wasteful spending in school districts, primarily in shoddy student counting when seeking state reimbursements, and in failure to seek competitive bids for transportation contracts. Districts routinely extend existing contracts, a fact that is often true locally.
In fact when Dallas decided to put the contract out for bid recently and awarded it to a new contractor, G. Davis Inc. of Pike County, the school board weathered public criticism and a legal effort to block the move that dropped long-time local contractor Emanuel Bus Lines.