- "When I say upgrade, it's not just doing the same old thing with new computer systems,” said Boliek. “It is changing the type of technology and the use of technology to use data analytics and artificial intelligence."
North Carolina’s State Auditor Dave Boliek delivered a comprehensive update to the House Committee on Appropriations during their Tuesday morning session. Boliek outlined required work by the office, the need to respond to issues quickly, increased use of new technology, and current projects.
Required audits
The auditor’s office is required to complete approximately 100 financial audits that are mandated under general statute including universities, community colleges, state agencies, and federal grant funding. Boliek told the committee he is looking to ramp up performance audits under his purview.
“Performance audits seek to inform on efficiency, and effectiveness of state government, not just efficiency and effectiveness, but also program results and the results of what this body funds and what taxpayers are getting in return for the investment that this body has given by way of an appropriation,” said Boliek.
Rapid Response
Boliek also announced the creation of a rapid response team within the office to handle immediate requests from the public or elected officials.
“One of the issues sort of internally within the state auditor’s office was that general citizens, members of this body, members of the executive branch would inform the auditor’s office of something they wanted looked into, and our office would play what they called whack-a-mole,” Boliek told the committee. “What would happen is they’d pull people off of ongoing audit projects and send them on individual one-off projects, and that, in my opinion, reduces the efficiency of our team. So, what I’ve decided to do is to create a separate rapid response team.”
Technology
With rapid changes in technology, Boliek spoke on the importance of not just upgrading and getting new computer systems but changing the way in which auditing tasks are completed using technology.
“We’re going to be looking to upgrade the technology. And when I say upgrade, it’s not just doing the same old thing with new computer systems,” said Boliek. “It is changing the type of technology and the use of technology to use data analytics and artificial intelligence. I’m not afraid of that. If it’s used correctly and effectively, it can really inform things and inform this body on how dollars are used and inform the taxpayer on how their dollars are being used.”
Current projects
Boliek highlighted three current projects the auditor’s office is working on including a dashboard to increase transparency for Hurricane Helene recovery with the launch of a dashboard tracking progress. While also announcing a financial and performance audit of The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR), a full review of the Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV), and an internal audit of the auditor’s office that will be conducted by a 3rd party.
Needs
The state auditor also presented several requests for the department.
- Increased full time positions for auditors, investigators, and data analysts.
- Recurring appropriations for software needs to conduct quicker, more efficient audits that can go deeper into the data.
- Non-recurring funding for contracts to clear unfinished business from previous admins and increase audit production until staff positions are added.
- Construction and office space needs to return employees back to office.
Boliek, a Republican, was elected to be state auditor in the November election running a campaign promising to reform the office and improve the depth and speed of state audits. In January, he announced that, in accordance with an executive order from President Trump, all DEI policies in the Office of State Auditor were being eliminated including training, performance requirements, preferences, and directives.