Blackwell, Corn Criticize Henry's DOC Audit Veto
House Speaker Pro-Tempore Gus Blackwell (left) and Senator Kenneth Corn (below right) said today they are disappointed in Governor Brad Henry's veto of an audit to provide accountability and financial order in state prisons.
The independent outside audit of the Department of Corrections was a key portion of a bipartisan budget agreement passed overwhelmingly by both the Senate and the House. "This was not an accounting audit but a performance audit to find ways to better use taxpayer dollars, to maximize savings, increase efficiencies and create more accountability in this state's prison system," said Blackwell, R-Goodwell. "We all came together to find a solution to the crumbling financial status of our prisons that would ensure positive results."
"This audit has strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. It's a solid effort to reform a broken system that should have been fixed years ago," said Corn, D-Poteau. "In this particular audit, we want to examine population capacity management, staffing requirements, administrative controls and more so we can ensure that Corrections is doing everything it should to keep costs down and operate as efficiently as possible."
Blackwell said this is the second time in two years that Henry has vetoed legislation dealing with performance audits for government agencies. The DOC audit has been supported by legislative leaders in both parties, and would cost $1 million. This is a mere fraction of the DOC's massive half-a-billion-dollar budget. The savings would then be reinvested into the agency to help in critical areas.
The performance audit would not only examine costs, but operations and agency policies as well. "We need to review our prisons' population-capacity management, staffing requirements, administrative controls and other areas. This will enable informed long tern planning for DOC by both legislators and DOC itself," said Blackwell. "The governor has thrown a barricade across a road that will lead to success for Oklahoma's prison system."
The independent outside audit of the Department of Corrections was a key portion of a bipartisan budget agreement passed overwhelmingly by both the Senate and the House. "This was not an accounting audit but a performance audit to find ways to better use taxpayer dollars, to maximize savings, increase efficiencies and create more accountability in this state's prison system," said Blackwell, R-Goodwell. "We all came together to find a solution to the crumbling financial status of our prisons that would ensure positive results."
"This audit has strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. It's a solid effort to reform a broken system that should have been fixed years ago," said Corn, D-Poteau. "In this particular audit, we want to examine population capacity management, staffing requirements, administrative controls and more so we can ensure that Corrections is doing everything it should to keep costs down and operate as efficiently as possible."Blackwell said this is the second time in two years that Henry has vetoed legislation dealing with performance audits for government agencies. The DOC audit has been supported by legislative leaders in both parties, and would cost $1 million. This is a mere fraction of the DOC's massive half-a-billion-dollar budget. The savings would then be reinvested into the agency to help in critical areas.
The performance audit would not only examine costs, but operations and agency policies as well. "We need to review our prisons' population-capacity management, staffing requirements, administrative controls and other areas. This will enable informed long tern planning for DOC by both legislators and DOC itself," said Blackwell. "The governor has thrown a barricade across a road that will lead to success for Oklahoma's prison system."
Labels: Brad Henry, Department of Corrections Audit, Gus Blackwell, Kenneth Corn
posted by Mike McCarville @ 3:28 PM
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