Hoping to avoid mistakes that could cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, a state department that was criticized for how it spent federal homeland security money said today it is considering hiring its own auditor – a plan drawing fire from lawmakers.
An internal auditor could help the Department of Local Affairs keep track of millions of dollars in grants funneled through the agency each year, department director Barbara Kirkmeyer said.
An auditor could also help save the state money by avoiding penalties, Kirkmeyer said.
“I think it would be good if we had their expertise,” she said.
A federal report this month questioned how the state spent more than $1 million in homeland security funds that were routed through Kirkmeyer’s department. The state could be forced to repay $236,000 that was spent on administrative costs.
Rep. Val Vigil, D-Thornton, questioned whether an internal auditor would be effective.
“They couldn’t be objective. Do you slap the hand that feeds you?” he said.
Sen. Dan Grossman, D-Denver, said an internal auditor might help keep track of funds, but most of the problems cited in state and federal reports on the Department of Local Affairs were political, not financial.
Grossman and other Democrats have been critical of how the department spends federal homeland security funds and are in a long-running dispute with GOP Gov. Bill Owens over who controls the money.
“The homeland security program needs to be consolidated in one department and we’d like to see distribution of funds according to risk and need. Maybe an auditor would have stopped that monkey business,” Grossman said.
Colorado has received $137.8 million in homeland security grants since 2002.
Grossman said lawmakers will introduce several measures this session to require more legislative control, including a bill that would set standards for a statewide communications network, allow lawmakers to set priorities for spending homeland security funds and centralize oversight with the Department of Public Safety.
