Not tracking your tax dollars: BFT cited for bad record keeping
»Play Video
TRI-CITIES, Wash. -- Yet another year has gone by with another critical look at the way Ben-Franklin Transit handled your money.
In a new report, the State Auditor's Office says BFT has improperly tracked millions of your tax dollars throughout the agency.
Last year, BFT under-reported money to the tune of $10 million, on everything from grant money to accounts payable. On the flipside, BFT overstated $2.5 million in what was made from sales tax.
It's money you spend to keep BFT busses moving.
"The decisions could affect tax dollars, they could affect fares," says Mandy Chambers, Washington Auditor's Office.
KEPR has reported fare increases and route cancellations as just some of recent changes to affect bus riders.
This isn't the first time BFT has been cited. Far from it, in fact. For seven consecutive years, BFT was cited for bad record keeping.
BFT told the state the most recent errors happened because several important people left the company, including the person overseeing financial activity. It means there was nobody to monitor the books for more than five months. But that doesn't explain all the other years.
To find out why a mistake keeps happening with your tax dollars, KEPR had an interview with BFT, but an hour before we were scheduled to meet, she canceled on us, saying she didn't have enough information to give. KEPR asked her who else would be available and she said no one else would. We checked with the state auditor and they said BFT actually does have all the information.
KEPR always wants to have a balanced story and wanted to give the agency a chance to explain to you what happened. But they refused to speak, saying they hadn't seen the report. The state tells us that's just not true.
"There is a response from BFT that indicates they read our report and that they responded to it, recognizing they have improvements to make," says Chamber.
In those same documents, BFT says it has hired an experienced financial director to track the company's money. She was the person who canceled our interview. When BFT wants to give its side to KEPR, we will put them on our air. Until then, this state report will have to speak for them.
In a new report, the State Auditor's Office says BFT has improperly tracked millions of your tax dollars throughout the agency.
Last year, BFT under-reported money to the tune of $10 million, on everything from grant money to accounts payable. On the flipside, BFT overstated $2.5 million in what was made from sales tax.
It's money you spend to keep BFT busses moving.
"The decisions could affect tax dollars, they could affect fares," says Mandy Chambers, Washington Auditor's Office.
KEPR has reported fare increases and route cancellations as just some of recent changes to affect bus riders.
This isn't the first time BFT has been cited. Far from it, in fact. For seven consecutive years, BFT was cited for bad record keeping.
BFT told the state the most recent errors happened because several important people left the company, including the person overseeing financial activity. It means there was nobody to monitor the books for more than five months. But that doesn't explain all the other years.
To find out why a mistake keeps happening with your tax dollars, KEPR had an interview with BFT, but an hour before we were scheduled to meet, she canceled on us, saying she didn't have enough information to give. KEPR asked her who else would be available and she said no one else would. We checked with the state auditor and they said BFT actually does have all the information.
KEPR always wants to have a balanced story and wanted to give the agency a chance to explain to you what happened. But they refused to speak, saying they hadn't seen the report. The state tells us that's just not true.
"There is a response from BFT that indicates they read our report and that they responded to it, recognizing they have improvements to make," says Chamber.
In those same documents, BFT says it has hired an experienced financial director to track the company's money. She was the person who canceled our interview. When BFT wants to give its side to KEPR, we will put them on our air. Until then, this state report will have to speak for them.
It is quite comical that BFT continues to put Cathy McMullen in the spot light for everything. We still didn't get a very reasonable response from them So. basically for 7 years BFT has not been using GAAP guidlines? Very curiouse. Is any one in there accounting department an accountant? Does any one in the accounting department have any training in accounting? I guess we will see when they are audited again this year or will their excuse be that they need another few years to figure out how to shift our money into the right accounts. I would be very surprised if they hired someone from out side the company to replace the former accountant. The GM seems to hire woman who are intimidated by him so it would not surprise me if the new head of accounting is a woman also. For now we just wait and see.
Ben Franklin Transit management had a vote of no confidence filed against them in February so, is any one else aside from their employees going to actually look into who is running this multi-million dollar do what ever you want to do with the tax payers money company? Believe me when I say that they do whatever they want to do when ever they want to and all the tax payers get is a shrug from these people. Time for more than a change in management at BFT. The board of directors needs to be held accountable also .Eight consecutive years of being cited for bad record keeping. We are not talking chump change it's millions! Millions! Tax payers money and BFT screamed for voter support in 1999 to increase the local sales tax to its maximum amount and have done nothing but cut service below what it was in 1999 and increase fares. I read at least twice that they bought busses from other transit agencies for $1 a piece. I wouldn't be surprised if they have an accumulated depreciation expense account for the busses that cost a dollar. That would be a good place to look the next time they are audited. Just doesn't appear that this transit agency has much integrity or honor within their ranks. When will we as taxpayers tell them to go away and we will deal with giving our own a ride and keep our money in our own pockets instead of theirs.