Wisconsin’s Legislative Audit Bureau is the brains behind the operation

When it comes to good government, the politicians like to take the credit. They are the ones who determine how our money should be spent and what new laws are needed. They are the ones with the fancy offices and the staff, and the travel budget. They are the ones to get credit when a bill becomes law. But they have a lot of help. In Wisconsin, our elected officials are fortunate to be able to rely on the hard work of the Legislative Audit Bureau. The LAB is essentially the brains behind the operation. This independent, non-partisan state agency provides a very necessary oversight of state government operations. The bureau promotes efficient and effective government by providing independent and timely audits of public finances and the management of public programs. Basically the politicians come up with the ideas, and the LAB determines whether they are a good use of our tax dollars. The LAB has now released its biennial report, summarizing its work over the last two years. It shows during that time the bureau provided more than 40 reports, including financial audits, performance evaluations, reviews, and opinions. And the agency operates a confidential hotline allowing Wisconsinites to report what they see as incidents of fraud, waste or abuse in state government. This report is a reminder of the value of the Legislative Audit Bureau. It is hard to imagine what our lawmakers might be able to get away with without the LAB serving as the good stewards of our money.