State of Louisiana Single Audit 2012
BATON ROUGE – The state is more fully complying with federal guidelines in the way agencies spend federal dollars now than in past years, according to an audit of state-used federal funds released Monday by Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera.
The single audit of state programs, financed by federal grants and other revenues, shows that state auditors reported only 28 findings of deficiencies.
The audit, which covers the fiscal year from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, indicated that 17 of the findings were new and 11 were repeat findings from the previous fiscal year.
Under federal law, Louisiana auditors must report annually to the federal government how the state uses its federal dollars.
The report showed that the 28 findings is the lowest number reported in the last five years. The number of findings have ranged from 105 in 2009 to the previous low of 53 in the 2011 fiscal year to 28 last year.
Auditors say the lower number of findings means the state is doing a better job of administering federal dollars for state programs.
For the fiscal year that ended on June 30, the state received more than $15.8 billion in monetary and loan programs to finance a range of programs from college grants to HIV treatment for the poor, as well as for health care, highway and disaster recovery needs.
The report to the federal government said the 2012 single audit disclosed $94.85 million “in questioned costs,” or whether the money was used according to federal regulations. The approval or disallowance of those costs is now up to the federal grantors of the money.
Auditors said that approximately $92 million of the almost $95 million in questioned costs was in the Office of Community Development’s administration of federal Community Development Block grants involving programs that began in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Of the approximately $92 million, auditors said, about $58.3 million of the questioned costs was in the homeowners assistance program and about $33.6 million was in the small rental property program.
For more information contact:
Legislative Auditor
225.339.3800
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Office of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor | www.LLA.La.gov