State investigators scolded the Arizona Department of Transportation in a report that showed the agency depends too heavily on private consultants, potentially costing taxpayers more than it should.

State investigators scolded the Arizona Department of Transportation in a report that showed the agency depends too heavily on private consultants, potentially costing taxpayers more than it should.

The board responsible for protecting the public from bad counselors and non-medical therapists is slow to handle complaints, state Auditor General Debra Davenport said Friday.

The board responsible for protecting the public from bad counselors and non-medical therapists is slow to handle complaints, state Auditor General Debra Davenport said Friday.

Security weaknesses in the Arizona Department of Education’s computer system are leaving teachers’ Social Security numbers and other private information vulnerable to hackers, the state Auditor General’s Office has concluded.

Scottsdale City Auditor Cheryl Dreska — whose office has released hard-hitting reviews of city department operations — has been the subject of three closed-door City Council discussions because a former colleague filed a complaint against her during his last week on the job, the Tribune has learned.

A lack of financial oversight during its first year of operations left the Mesa Arts Center with accounting discrepancies that made it hard for city auditors to track and document ticket revenue, an internal audit revealed.

A city audit has uncovered irregular spending habits by a Scottsdale grant program charged with helping residents improve the look and safety of their aging neighborhoods.

A city audit has uncovered irregular spending habits by a Scottsdale grant program charged with helping residents improve the look and safety of their aging neighborhoods.

A shortage of staff is threatening to increase the number of errors made in determining who is — and is not — eligible for welfare benefits, state Auditor General Debbie Davenport said Tuesday.

December 31, 2004

The state agency responsible for investigating reports of child abuse and neglect needs to do a better job, state auditors said Tuesday.

A state investment group that included several East Valley communities has reached a $4.8 million settlement with an auditing company accused of misleading the Arizona governments into keeping their money with a failing firm.

The Maricopa County Community College District illegally put 26 nonemployees on its payroll, and a majority of them in the state retirement system, the Arizona Auditor General's Office announced in a report Tuesday morning.

Auditors warned the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office about a dysfunctional payroll system six months before an overtime spending crisis erupted this week.

The controversial property tax vote has been all the buzz around Mesa.

The controversial property tax vote has been all the buzz around Mesa.

U-Haul International parent Amerco has filed a $2.5 billion lawsuit against its former auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers, blaming it for sharp declines in its stock price and eroding investor confidence after it restated financial statements last year.

December 16, 2004

 Our View: The Maricopa County Community College District and its chancellor, Rufus Glasper, have landed in a no-win situation in addressing a collection of improper deals to pay the salaries and retirement benefits of people working for special-interest groups.

The Arizona Auditor General's Office is wrapping up an investigation into special deals by the Maricopa County Community College District that allowed private lobbyists to improperly enroll in the state retirement system.