From the Office of State Sen. J.B. Jennings:
Maryland’s Lack of Agency Oversight
The O’Malley Administration’s habit of ignoring state audits that expose waste, mishandling of funds and generally poor performance in several state agencies is mind-boggling. Indeed, government waste is alive and well in the O’Malley Administration, where millions of dollars are wasted every month. The Office of Legislative Audits conducts about 70 audits a year and makes more than 250 recommendations, which are often ignored and repeated in subsequent audits.
Pointing to just some of audit findings, the Department of Developmental Disabilities returned $25 million in unspent funds to the state, while 6,500 disabled remained stuck on the waiting list seeking care. According to an audit released last year, that same agency failed to collect $5.5 million in federal funds because it failed to file the proper forms, improperly spent $600,000 for motor vehicles and overpaid $400,000 for services that it never attempted to recoup.
A 2013 federal audit revealed the state Medicaid program had a 95% error rate in seeking reimbursement for room and board for developmentally disabled and thus, owes the federal government $21 million. The audit also showed a long list of unresolved deficiencies repeated annually, including questionable eligibility for beneficiaries of Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, foster care, student aid and home energy assistance. A recent audit found that for the last four years, the Department of Human Resources overspent its budget by $27 million and hid its overruns by improper accounting adjustments.
From January 2008 to August 2011, the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene paid $2.5 million in Medicaid funds to 323 deceased recipients. The Department also failed to inspect 757 (55%) of the state’s 1,364 licensed assisted living facilities and 75% of the state’s 197 facilities for the developmentally disabled – the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
The latest revelation in poor state agency oversight has cost more than money. It has cost the life of a 10-year old disabled child. The question raised is why the state continued to award millions dollar contracts to LifeLine, which provided round-the-clock intensive care to disabled foster children in group homes, after it had filed for bankruptcy and the state audit found it insolvent. The audit found that LifeLine had $13 in liabilities for every dollar in assets in 2012. The state prohibited LifeLine from taking on new residents until it presented a plan to correct its financial problems. The state accepted the LifeLine’s plan and in September 2013 the Board of Public Works, without discussion, awarded the company $4.9 million and a nearly three-year contract.
As taxpayers, we are entitled to an effectively operated state that shows by its actions, a basic responsibility to the people who depend on state services and the public whose taxes make those services possible.
Please do not hesitate to contact me on this or any other issue of concern to you. As always, I encourage and welcome your input.
Best regards,
Senator J.B. Jennings
My prayer is that Owe”Malley never becomes President! We couldn’t afford to have him run the dunking booth at the State Fair, let alone this country!
If only we had a legislative body that could be tasked with providing oversight of government programs.
Jennings is racist! Oh wait, Brown isn’t governor yet.
Well, then it’s Craig’s fault. If this county only had the proper ‘platform’ it could have made the state do its job!
And… and, we are still cleaning up the mess from the previous governor, besides the job of governor is too big to catch every financial rounding error. Besides, those teabaggers in Annapolis are holding up everything we want to do in making things more efficient. If we could just get a special mileage tax then we could afford to hire enough people to get more efficient and save money.
I notice the cabal of commies aren’t in here defending this administration. They are hoping this topic goes away.
The democrats are running from this thread like scalded dogs!!
Where is Burbey screaming that we could have used a little of that lost money to give Harford County teachers a raise. After all, the state dumped the pensions on the counties.
I am hearing crickets!
Let’s face it – if it ain’t bashing Craig they want no part of it – what a bunch of hypocritical losers! Hey! Just keep voting in the one party state and take the pipe like the rest of us.
All government agencies should be held accountable for efficiency. I hold a great deal of respect for Senator Jennings. He and I may not always agree on every issue but he is concerned about issues and governing not just politics.
Whether candidates like it or not, the large majority of voters across Maryland support the policies of Governor O’Malley and the Democratic Party. It would be nice if they (Republicans and Democrats alike) would propose programs/policies that focus on the needs of the people of Maryland–rather than rant about the members and actions of the other party. In this particular case, what,platform does Mr. Jennings offer for meeting the needs of the state? What positive suggestions does he have?
Sadly, as is evident, in Mrs. Jennings’ statement, the emphasis is all too often on “preaching to the choir” (in this case the far right conservatives of Harford County). Surely, if the statewide elections are an indication, state government has taken at least some positive actions in the last eight years. What can be done to build on these? If there is need for adjustment, in what ways? How should existing poly initiatives be modified? What other actions could be implemented to improve the existing system and address societal needs.
Candidates who want my vote (call me naive), have to express themselves in a positive manner. The Art Heltons and Pat McDonoughs have no chance of ever getting my support.