State Auditor Kathy McGuiness released the findings from the state’s Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) earlier this week. The ACFR is a massive, wide-ranging engagement that includes more than 25 separate audits of state agencies and programs, and it plays a large role in helping Delaware maintain its AAA bond rating.

“I am proud to work with state agencies each year to complete this enormous undertaking because that collaboration means government transparency and accountability for all Delawareans so they can see how where their tax dollars are being spent,” McGuiness said.

Read the full report on auditor.delaware.gov.

DOVER, DELAWARE – With Delaware set to receive $1.25 billion from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said today she will monitor the federal stimulus money sent to Delaware’s state, county and local governments.

“The amount of federal fiscal aid coming to county and local governments is unprecedented,” McGuiness said. “As the state’s fiscal watchdog, I will be monitoring the flow of these millions of taxpayer dollars to help ensure the money is used as intended: To help Delawareans recover from the financially detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

McGuiness’ plan to follow the money involves the following:

• Identifying state and local government recipients of the federal dollars;
• Creating and maintaining an online fund tracker to help the public see how much money each governmental entity has received; and
• Continued monitoring of her office’s fraud tip hotline for any reports of misused ARP funds.

Once the state has expended its ARP funds, McGuiness said, she will use a risk-based assessment model to determine exactly which state entities her office will audit for compliance.

To help cover her office’s costs to monitor the ARP roll-out, McGuiness has asked that the state allocate $3 million of the CARES Act money Delaware received.

“Providing my office with $3 million so that my team and I can track how $1.25 billion is divvied up and expended is a no-brainer,” McGuiness said. “That’s using 0.2 percent of the total to ensure the other 99.8 percent is spent effectively and efficiently.”

McGuiness continues to provide weekly updates on which state agencies have received and spent their allotment of the $927.23 million in CARES Act funds from the federal government. That fund tracker, which is updated each Monday, can be found online here.

Members of the public can report suspected fraud, waste and abuse of state tax money by calling 1-800-55-FRAUD (1-800-553-7283) or by filling out and submitting this form.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Contact: Quinn Ludwicki, Executive Assistant 302-382-7270, Quinn.Ludwicki@delaware.gov.

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DOVER, DELAWARE – Delaware state agencies have so far spent 72.1 percent of the $927 million the state received in federal CARES Act funding, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said today.

“The CARES Act resulted in an unprecedented amount of federal funding to our state,” McGuiness said. “The CARES Act Fund Tracker allows taxpayers to see a breakdown of how much money each state agency has spent.”

As of March 5, 2021, $668.1 million has been spent, which represents an increase of $12 million over the previous week. Most of the week’s increase – $10 million – was spent by the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

In March 2020, the federal government passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided payments to state and local governments as they navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on its population, Delaware received $927.23 million.

The CARES Act Fund Tracker can be found on the Auditor’s Office website here. The site is updated each Monday.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Contact: Quinn Ludwicki, Executive Assistant 302-382-7270, Quinn.Ludwicki@delaware.gov.

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DOVER, DELAWARE – Recent financial audits of construction projects at Brandywine and Colonial school districts showed both districts spent funds they received for the projects appropriately, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said today.

“It’s always reassuring to verify that taxpayer money has been spent efficiently and effectively,” McGuiness said. “School construction projects can be extremely expensive and cost taxpayers millions of dollars.”

In Brandywine School District, the audit examined school construction projects between 2017 and June 30, 2019. During that time, Brandywine renovated Carrcroft Elementary, Brandywine High School and Claymont Elementary; demolished the Burnett School; and relocated a facility.

In Colonial School District, the audit examined one project completed by June 30, 2019. During that time, Colonial renovated the John G. Leach School.

The Delaware Auditor’s Office is legislatively mandated to perform school construction audits once projects are finished.

To read the Brandywine School District audit, click here.

To read the Colonial School District audit, click here.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Contact: Alaina Sewell, Executive Assistant, Alaina.Sewell@delaware.gov, 302-857-3931

DOVER, DELAWARE – Delaware state agencies have so far spent 70.7 percent of the $927 million the state received in federal CARES Act funding, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said today.

“Delawareans deserve to know exactly where that federal money is being spent and how it is helping them as they struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” McGuiness said. “That’s why I developed a CARES Act Fund Tracker on my website – to let taxpayers see a breakdown of how much money each state agency has spent.”

As of Feb. 26, 2021, $655.6 million had been spent, which represents an increase of $5 million over the previous week. Since Thanksgiving, Delaware has spent an average of about $11 million per week.

Other highlights:

• The Department of Labor has spent about 85 percent of its $197.47 million allotment.
• The Office of Management and Budget has spent about 15 percent of its $160.52 million allotment.

In March 2020, the federal government passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided payments to state and local governments as they navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on its population, Delaware received $927.23 million.

The CARES Act Fund Tracker can be found on the Auditor’s Office website here. The site is updated each Monday.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Contact: Alaina Sewell, Executive Assistant, Alaina.Sewell@delaware.gov, 302-857-3931

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