The results are in on our 2020 Washington Office survey.
 
Thirty-four offices from 24 different states participated this year. These responses are an invaluable asset to our Washington office staff, as they provide a good picture of important issues and help us focus efforts in the coming year. Thank you to all of those who were able to respond and submit comments.
 
5 Most Important Issues
 

• Financial management during a crisis
• Federal deficit/impact on states
• Public sector pension plans (disclosure and funding issues)
• Federal transparency initiatives (Open DATA)
• Federal tax changes/impact on states 

 
5 Least Important Issues
 

• Municipal Market: Congressional, Regulatory and Federal Reserve Actions
• Fringe Benefit and Payroll Issues
• Proposals to Amend the Single Audit Act
• Infrastructure Funding
• OMB Cost Circulars/Administrative Rules 

 
Quotes from the Survey
 
Below is a random sampling of comments from the survey.
 
Are there any new federal agency or Congressional issues that we can address for you, or areas in which NASACT should have a more active role?
 

• CMS's poor oversight of the Medicaid program, particularly the program integrity function in the state, and lack of any “real” oversight for states administration of the program and their efforts towards identifying improper payments. States are allowed to do whatever they want, and no one evaluates to see if it is comprehensive/effective.
• Better understanding of the CARES Act and any additional relief and/or stimulus packages, and how they will apply at the state and local government level (several responses shared this concern).
• De-emphasis of governmental accounting by the AICPA (CPA Exam), and de-emphasis of state auditor offices by GASB (recent appointment of the new GASB chair from the private sector).
• NASACT needs to lobby for some method of state auditor access to IRS and child support data. We need that to perform meaningful reviews of benefit programs as well as investigating fraud. If the IRS does not want to grant it directly, it should establish relationships between TIGTA and the states to allow for oversight of state usage of the data.
• The federal debt needs to be addressed. 

 
What is the best thing in financial management going on in your state/office today?
 

• We have maintained our reputation as an honest, bipartisan office that does good and meaningful work.
• Our pension funds are conservatively invested and well-funded.  We also have done a good job of building rainy day funds in several areas
• Our team is the best thing going on in our office today. They are thinking about risk in new and meaningful ways and aren't afraid to try new approaches in developing audit scope. Audit standards require us to be unpredictable; the team is embracing this, and it shows in the audit results. I am so very proud of them.
• Efforts to procure and implement a new statewide ERP.
• Planning for increased audit responsibilities related to COVID 19 funding over the next few years while budgets will likely be decreasing due to lower tax revenues. 

 
Does your office have an official Facebook page?
 

• Yes: 6.45%
• No: 77.42%
• Did not answer: 16.13% 

 
For detailed results of the survey, or if you would like to discuss comments received, email Neal Hutchko in the Washington Office or call him at (202) 624-5873.