Umesh Dalal. Photo credit: Richmond.com
The City of Richmond could give a clinic on how to screw up budgets. The latest audit by City Auditor Umesh Dalal characterized previous budgets as “neither transparent nor accurate.”
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, among the gaffes uncovered for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2015:
- The city budgeted only half the $1 million in licensing fees due Microsoft, even though the company’s software is critical to the operation of every department and city officials knew that they would continue using it.
- The sheriff’s office budgeted $3.3 million less than necessary to pay for the medical services in in contracts to pay for patients. It also under-budgeted for inmate food by more than $250,000.
- But the city did budget for 41 positions that hadn’t been filled since Fiscal 2014. That created resources that could be raided as needed for other uses such as a transfer to the school system.
The good news is that the audit made 12 specific recommendations, which city administrators say they have either incorporated into the current budget or are in the process of doing so.
I can’t help the feeling that there is a thin green line (as in green eyeshade) between the City of Richmond and fiscal chaos.
— JAB
