Audit latest black eye for embattled Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

By   /  May 1, 2013  /  Accountability, economic development, Featured, News, Power Abuse, Scott Walker, Transparency, Wisconsin  /  3 Comments

The Legislative Audit Bureau found the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. "did not have sufficient policies, including some that were statutorily required, to administer its programs effectively." The report, released Wednesday, is the latest to show significant accountability concerns at the two-year old quasi-public WEDC.

By Ryan Ekvall | Wisconsin Reporter
MADISON – Another audit, another finding of incompetence and waste at the state’s top jobs agency.
The operation at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. apparently is so muddled that the Legislative Audit Bureau could not adequately “assess the effectiveness of WEDC’s economic development programs.”
The bureau’s audit, released Wednesday, found information WEDC [...]

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Stimulus waste trackers now tracking Sandy relief funding

By   /  May 1, 2013  /  Accountability, Featured, Fraud, News, Transparency, Wasteful spending, Wisconsin  /  No Comments

Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, the same group charged with oversight of the $840 billion in stimulus funding, has been given the same mission with Hurricane Sandy relief.

After overseeing transparency and accountability of the massive $840 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, tracking waste, fraud and abuse in a $60 billion superstorm relief package should be a breeze.

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No student consensus on UW System reserve flap

By   /  April 29, 2013  /  Education, Featured, Finances, Legislature, News, Politics, Scott Walker, State Government, Transparency, Wisconsin  /  No Comments

UW image

Ellie Bruecker is set to graduate next month from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, shouldering about $20,000 in student loans.

She considers herself one of the lucky ones.

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PA House committee shuts transparency loophole for Penn State, other universities

By   /  April 22, 2013  /  Accountability, Education, Ethics, Featured, Issues, News, Pennsylvania, State Budgets, State Government, Transparency, Transparency  /  No Comments

OPENING UP OLD MAIN: Penn State and the other three state-related universities would have to comply with right-to-know requests under a bill approved by the House State Government Committee on Monday.

By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – A much-maligned loophole in Pennsylvania’s Open Records Law may soon be closed.
The House State Government Committee approved a bill Monday afternoon to end the right-to-know exceptions for Pennsylvania’s four so-called “state-related” universities – Penn State, Pittsburgh, Temple and Lincoln.  The bill moves to the full House for a [...]

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Cuccinelli releases returns, McAuliffe stays silent — but will it matter?

By   /  April 18, 2013  /  Green Tech Automotive, News, Taxes, Transparency, Virginia  /  No Comments

TAX TRANSPARENCY: Republican candidate for governor Ken Cuccinelli released eight years' worth of tax returns on Thursday.

By Kathryn Watson | Watchdog.org Virginia Bureau
ALEXANDRIA—Democratic candidate for governor Terry McAuliffe remained tight-lipped on Thursday as his Republican opponent Ken Cuccinelli opened up eight years’ worth of his tax returns for members of the media to inspect.
The attorney general, under scrutiny for his close financial ties to Star Scientific, a tobacco company-turned dietary supplement [...]

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