A recent audit of Baltimore County, Maryland’s books uncovered personal purchases, questionable purchases not supported with receipts, and vendor price agreements not being utilized. According to the Baltimore Examiner, Baltimore County employees purchased personal items like a pair of designer sunglasses and a rain coat totaling $108. Employees could also not produce receipts for transactions totaling $1,200, nor could some file the proper paperwork to take advantage of established, below-market price agreements with vendors. The Director of Public Works promptly apologized for the blemishes.
This is just another example of why government transparency work to curtail the bureaucratic culture from spending without thinking. Websites like the Comptroller’s Where the Money Goes and our own Texas Budget Source blaze the trail for accountability in government spending — one that Maryland should consider following.
– Michael Joyce