The Metro Auditor’s Office released an audit today that compared budgeting best practices to Metro’s budget process. Each fiscal year, Metro’s COO and Finance and Regulatory Services Department leads the agency in a process to propose a spending plan for the next fiscal year. After deliberation and review, the Metro Council approves the budget in late spring.
The Government Finance Officers Association recommends 59 practices for a budget process. After initial review and comparison of Metro’s process to the recommended practices, the Auditor’s Office concluded that Metro appeared to be in general compliance with most. Twelve practices were selected for an in-depth review and led to the conclusions in this audit. Auditors found that improvements in the areas of stakeholder review and involvement would increase transparency and accountability.
“The budget process was well managed to meet public budgeting requirements,” Metro Auditor Suzanne Flynn said. “Making a few improvements in communicating when and how decisions are made will make it even stronger.” Auditor Flynn stated she was pleased that Metro will be developing a new publication for next year’s budget to explain how resource decisions are made.
For more information, contact Suzanne Flynn, Metro Auditor, at 503-797-1891. The audit is available on the Metro website at http://www.oregonmetro.gov/auditor . Copies of the audit can also be obtained by calling the Office of the Metro Auditor at 503-797-1892. The Metro Auditor will brief the Metro Council on December 18, 2014.