accounting and auditing

• Finance

Audit finds 'widespread discrepancies' in Baltimore energy bill aid

Baltimore city has approved $6.2 million in questionable payments meant to help poor families pay their energy bills, including grants to three dozen households that aren't even in the city, according to a new audit.

• Baltimore City Paper

DNA crime analysis skewed by Baltimore City Police Department's failure to report data

• Laws and Legislation

Hogan tax break becomes widespread business audit

Gov. Larry Hogan's plan to give a modest tax break to some small businesses has been turned into a bill that could force tens of thousands of Maryland companies to undergo tax audits.

By Erin Cox

Apr 2, 2015

• Politics

Baltimore creates new audits site

Baltimore's finance department has created a new page on its website for residents to track the progress of the 13 agency-level audits the city must undergo by next year.

By Luke Broadwater

Mar 30, 2015

• Healthcare Policies and Laws

Audit says Maryland overbilled federal government $28.4M in health exchange launch

WASHINGTON — A long-awaited audit of Maryland's health insurance exchange has found that the state improperly billed the federal government for $28.4 million as former Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration struggled to launch what would become one of the most troubled websites in the nation.

• News

Former PTA president charged with theft

A Baltimore County woman was arrested Thursday for allegedly stealing close to $10,000 from the Orems Elementary School PTA during the time that she was the group's president. The woman, Christine Samuels, 43, of Essex, was featured in an article in The Baltimore Sun on Sunday in which she spoke about trying to save two of her sons from heroin addiction as well as her own continuing struggles with drugs.

By Jean Marbella

Mar 26, 2015

• Opinion

A procurement officer could save Md. $100 million annually

As members of the Maryland General Assembly wrangle over budget cuts and deficits, it's tempting to think that there's a quick fix to the state's fiscal problems. But what if there was a way for the state of Maryland to save money that didn't involve raising taxes, fees or surcharges, didn't require cutting programs and maybe could fund new initiatives?

• Opinion

Holding the line on stormwater fees

The case of Anne Arundel County shows why Hogan's symbolic repeal of the 'rain tax' deserved to be killed in the legislature.

• Sun Investigates

Audit: State paid unemployment benefits to prisoners

The state paid unemployment benefits to four people behind bars, according to an audit released Friday that found numerous other problems in the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

By Carrie Wells

Mar 7, 2015

• Maryland

State improves collection of federal funds

State auditors have commended Maryland's Developmental Disabilities Administration for correcting years of recurring spending problems and said the agency had made "substantial progress" in collecting federal reimbursements more quickly.

• Health

Audit critical of Medicaid procurement

State auditors are criticizing Maryland's health department for the way it hired a contractor to replace the system used to process Medicaid payments — and later having to suspend work with the company.

• Baltimore City Paper

MTA audit finds $10 million in fuel overpayments

• Harford

Harford council to vote on moving $8.3 million for retiree health benefits

Harford County government wants to reserve another $8.3 million toward paying post-employment benefits, mainly health insurance, for future retirees.

• Public Transportation

MTA employee steered $200,000 contract to spouse's firm, auditors say

A Maryland Transit Administration employee steered a $200,000 contract to a company owned by the employee's spouse before being fired in 2012, a state audit found. The transaction was among $6.3 million in contracts overseen by the manager called into question by the audit.

By Colin Campbell

Feb 10, 2015

• Baltimore City Paper

MTA official under criminal investigation after $6 million contract audit

• Opinion

Medicare 'quality indicators' diverge from quality care

To Medicare and ACA reformers, quality and value are broken down into discrete measurements that must be entered into a computer exactly as Medicare dictates. Failure to do so could lead to crippling fines. I have been audited twice already in the past year, with more audits to come. No wonder patients must face doctors who stare at computer screens and do not have time to listen. That is the result of the ACA's quest for value.

• Harford

Bel Air's financial position called 'very solid'

Bel Air's town government received a clean bill of health in its most recent audit, which both town officials and the auditor say shows the town has an enviable financial position.

• Rentals

Lead-paint oversight of rental housing faulted

Maryland regulators are still having trouble keeping tabs on how many rental housing units have hazardous lead paint, state auditors have found, even as the number of homes and apartments they must oversee to protect children from lead poisoning expands dramatically.

By Timothy B. Wheeler

Jan 18, 2015

• Business

Maryland regulators to meet with Caesars after unit files for bankruptcy

State regulators said Thursday that they will be closely following Thursday's bankruptcy filing by a cash-strapped division of casino giant Caesars Entertainment Corp. to ensure that operations at Horseshoe Casino Baltimore remain stable.

• Howard County

Two Howard delegates moving up to Senate as session starts

When Howard County's General Assembly delegation returns to Annapolis next week, its ranks will include two new senators, although they will be familiar faces in the State House.

• Harford

Harford council gets rundown on proposed early retirement program

Harford County government officials plan to spend $6.75 million during the current fiscal year to finance an early retirement incentive for 100 county employees, an incentive that includes several one-time payouts and health insurance subsidies for those who take early retirement.

• Baltimore City Paper

A Progress Report on our 2014 Resolutions

• Maryland

In retirement, Bauer hopes to remain involved in education after 20 years on school board

• Opinion

Three big ways Hogan can save tax money

Dear Larry — I hope I can still call you Larry, at least until you're sworn in. You grew up in Beltsville, in my district. Your father and mine were friends back in the 1960's. I didn't vote you for you, but I'm convinced you're sincere about wanting to hold down state spending without rolling back all the progress Maryland has made in recent years. I've got a few ideas for reforms that I think can win bipartisan support — and save big money. First, a few don'ts: three

• Obituaries

Romeo Valianti, tax division director

Romeo Valianti, who had been director of the Maryland State Comptrollers' Admissions and Amusement Tax Division, died Wednesday at his Finksburg home of a massive heart attack. He was 90.

By Frederick N. Rasmussen

Dec 14, 2014

• Cyber Crime

Audit finds flaws remain in UM network security, even after data breach

State auditors say the University of Maryland, College Park's campus network remains vulnerable to hacking even after a massive data breach revealed security flaws in February, in part because some gaps identified five years ago remain.

By Scott Dance

Dec 10, 2014

• Baltimore City

City liquor board tells state of reforms in place, others unfinished

Baltimore's liquor board, slammed in a 2013 state audit for mismanagement, now has computer spreadsheets to keep track of fines and fees. It is requiring all applications to be notarized. And employees are required to formally disclose any conflict of interest, according to a report the board is delivering to the legislature Tuesday.

• Insurance

Audit finds flaws, ethics concerns in Maryland's collection of insurance taxes

The Maryland Insurance Administration has cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue in recent years by failing to properly collect taxes on insurance premiums, according to a state audit released this week.

• Accounting and Auditing

Missing grant payment, potential conflict of interest cited in UMES audit

A state legislative audit released Friday found that the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore could not account for a $25,000 grant payment made to its foundation, prompting the auditor to refer the matter to the Attorney General's Criminal Division.

By Joe Burris

Nov 14, 2014

• Baltimore City

City pledges improvements after critical Rec and Parks audit

City officials this week are pledging to enact financial improvements at the Department of Recreation and Parks after a critical audit.

By Luke Broadwater

Nov 4, 2014

• Harford

Two charter amendments, one controversial, on Harford's election ballot

Harford County's residents will be voting on two local ballot questions this election, one to permit expanded audits of county agencies and the other to make deputy directors at-will employees and which has generated controversy.

• Colleges and Universities

Audit finds Anne Arundel, Carroll community colleges are carrying unrestricted fund deficits

The state legislative auditing report found that Anne Arundel and Carroll community college were carrying million-dollar, unrestricted-fund deficits in Fiscal Year 2013 due in part to shortfalls in their retirement benefit coffers.

• Insurance

PG County schools CFO resigns amid insurance fraud charges

The chief financial officer of Prince George's County public schools and his wife resigned Monday, three days after The Baltimore Sun revealed that the Maryland Insurance Administration found that the couple committed insurance fraud.

• Sun Investigates

State says PG County schools CFO committed insurance fraud in claim of lost diamond ring

The Maryland Insurance Administration has ruled White and his wife, Keisha, who works as an internal auditor for the school system, committed insurance fraud by filing a claim for a lost diamond ring that another insurer had already paid $16,313 to replace months earlier.

• Harford

Tax deals planned for low-income housing in Edgewood, Abingdon

Owners of two Harford County rental housing communities for primarily low-income residents could be allowed to make payments to the county that would substitute for conventional property taxes, according to proposals under consideration by the county council.

• Defense

Federal agencies mulling threat of tax debtors holding security clearances

The officials who are responsible for safeguarding the nation's intelligence secrets are trying to figure out how to better vet millions of employees and contractors with security clearances, after auditors found that some of those workers owed more than three-quarters of a billion dollars in unpaid taxes.

• Politics

Auditor objects to city lawyer's $69 reimbursement for hotel room

When a work trip becomes a personal vacation, should taxpayers pick up 'unexpected expenses'?

• Health

Auditors say Developmental Disabilities Administration corrects costly flaws

State auditors say Maryland's Developmental Disabilities Administration has corrected flaws that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

• Sun Investigates

Mayor appoints panel to distribute $3M to property owners whose tax bills were wrong

Retired judge, city lawyer and city auditor to sit on committee.

• News

Auditors urge better tracking of public defender clients

• Health

Subpoenas issued in Maryland health exchange probe

Federal auditors looking into Maryland's flawed health insurance exchange are subpoenaing documents as part of their probe and have sought information from the lead contractor hired by the state to build the site.

• Harford

Harford government's auditor urges vote for charter amendment expanding her powers

The Harford County government's auditor says she supports a charter amendment on the November general election ballot that would expand her office's powers and she is asking the public to vote for it.

• Sun Investigates

Glimpse of health exchange audit shows progress

Outside contractor provides summary only of Maryland health exchange's work

• Politics

High-ranking state official was fired in grant misuse

A high-ranking O'Malley administration official was fired in 2012 for allegedly steering about $774,000 to a company with whom the official had close ties.

• Laws and Legislation

Md. agency failed to monitor placement of foster children, audit says

Maryland social services foster children abuse neglect audit

• Health

Medical examiner's office breaks procurement rules, audit says

State auditors find medical examiner's office did not solicit bids, sign contracts for supplies

• Colleges and Universities

Morgan State warned again about problems in research program

Morgan State University continues to have problems managing the largest federal research program in its history and will face financial penalties from the organization that oversees the program, according to documents released this week.

• Maryland

Register of Wills enacts immediate change in response to audit

The Office of Legislative Audits found that the individual who prepared deposits and bank reconciliations for the Register of Wills also performed deposit verifications, in violation of the Comptroller's guidelines.

• Accounting and Auditing

After scathing report, Social Security overhauls its equal opportunity program

The Social Security Administration is overhauling its internal anti-discrimination program after federal auditors found that the agency failed to establish an adequate system for handling claims from employees.

• Sun Investigates

LifeLine contracts received little scrutiny at Board of Public Works

Maryland's Board of Public Works, a panel that includes the governor and other top state officials, did little to scrutinize millions in contracts it awarded in recent years to the financially strapped operator of a group home where a 10-year-old boy died this month, records show.