Waste, Fraud and Abuse Commission Releases Interim Report

On July 5th, Governor Scott Walker's Commission on Waste, Fraud, and Abuse released the anticipated Chairman's Interim Report detailing substantial savings from identifying efficiencies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in state government.  This report is a compilation of the initial data and information the commission has received from various state agencies during monthly meetings held since the commission was created in January.  The total estimated annual savings identified by the Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Commission in the interim report adds up to more than $266.5 million.  Making changes to enhance program integrity alone will save state taxpayers at least $177 million.

Within the interim report, Chairman Craig Rakowski indicated "that most of the state's budgeting and financial systems are antiquated," leading to "outdated strategies for coping with 21st century problems." 

Among these problems is fraud within our public assistance programs, which encompasses the largest portion of the interim report.  This is mostly attributed to the rapid growth of and enrollment within Wisconsin's public assistance programs without corresponding increases in fraud prevention and identification and eligibility verification efforts.  For instance, the number of individuals enrolled in the FoodShare program more than doubled from 318,857 in 2003 to 802,988 in 2011.  During this same time period,  enrollment in the state's Medicaid programs increased by about 50 percent from 777,854 to nearly 1.2 million.

As the number of enrollees in these state programs increased, state spending on detecting and preventing fraud decreased by 76 percent between 2004 and 2009, according to the interim report.  Funding levels for preventing public assistance recipient fraud stood at just over $2.3 million in 2004 before declining to about $562,000 by 2009.  Consequently, we've dealt with rampant fraud within programs such as Wisconsin Shares and FoodShare in recent years.

To address and deter the prevalence of fraud within our state's public assistance programs, the commission issued a number of recommendations included within the interim report.  They include: creating the position of Inspector General in certain agencies (such as the Department of Health Services and the Department of Children and Families), adequately staffing program integrity and training units to better ensure program integrity, create performance measures for case workers and ensure that error rates are included within performance evaluations, charge a fee for the replacement of lost or stolen Quest Cards under FoodShare, require a photo I.D. on the Quest Cards, and advocate that the federal government improve oversight and enforcement of fraud in federally-funded programs such as FoodShare, to name a few.

The interim report also highlighted inconsistencies in the amount of overtime taken by state employees in recent years.  In 2010 alone, state taxpayers paid approximately $57.1 million in overtime costs accumulated by state agencies.  Much of this is attributed to seniority as explained to the commission by the Office of State Employment Relations (OSER), the Department of Corrections (DOC), and the Department of Health Services (DHS).  According to OSER, collective bargaining agreements (local agreements) generally require that overtime be offered on the basis of seniority - or the highest paid employees.  In one instance, a senior Correctional Sergeant with an annual salary of $54,993 accumulated 2,373 premium overtime hours - resulting in additional earnings of nearly $94,000.  If a less senior Correctional Sergeant with an annual salary of $33,000 were offered the overtime, the additional earnings would have added up to just over $56,000.  Additional information and recommendations on how state overtime can be properly addressed is available through the recent audit report focusing on the same topic.

With the Chairman's Interim Report completed, my colleagues on the Governor's Waste, Fraud and Abuse Commission and I will continue meeting at least once per month for the remainder of the year to hold public hearings and maintain consistent communication with state agencies on how the report can be improved.  The final draft of the commission's report and its recommendations on reducing waste, fraud and abuse in state government is due by the end of December 2011.

"Caylee's Law" for Wisconsin

As many of you are aware, a Florida jury recently found Casey Anthony "not guilty" of killing her two-year-old daughter, Caylee, back in June 2008.  Since then, Anthony's trial has captured the attention of the entire nation.  Understandably, the final verdict resulted in much outrage, prompting a number of people to contact my office and request that "Caylee's Law" be introduced.

This week, I worked with legislators from across the state on Caylee's Law which will require parents to report their children missing to law enforcement within 24 hours of their disappearance.  Failure to do so will be considered a felony.  According to court documents in the Anthony case, young Caylee's disappearance was not reported for 31 days since she was last seen alive.

While I hope a situation similar to Caylee Anthony's will never happen in Wisconsin, you just never know.  As a mother myself of two young children, I want to be proactive and produce legislation that will ensure missing children are reported in a timely manner so we have a far better chance of finding them alive.

Along with Wisconsin, states such as Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and West Virginia are also considering Caylee's Law.  As this legislation moves forward, I welcome suggestions and ideas as to how it can be improved.  It's currently a work in progress, but I hope to see it come up for a vote on the floor of the Assembly when my colleagues and I reconvene for the fall session.

Conference held for the National Governors' Association's Three Branch Institute on Adolescents in Foster Care

Earlier this spring, I was appointed by Governor Scott Walker to serve on the National Governors' Association's (NGA) Center for Best Practices Project on Adolescents in Foster Care.  The key goal of this nationwide project is to increase permanency and reduce entries for adolescents within the foster care system. 

According to data compiled by the NGA, close to 160,000 children aged 13 and older nationwide lived within the foster care system as of September 30, 2009.  This represents 37 percent of the foster care caseload. 

While the number of adolescents entering foster care has declined in recent years, the placement rate for those aged 13 and older who are already in the system is among the highest among the general population residing within the system.  Between FY2002 and FY2009, the number of adolescents who "aged out" (turned 18 years of age) of foster care increased by 45 percent from 20, 358 to 29,471.  Overall, during that period more than 200,000 adolescents nationwide aged out of the foster care system without any legal, permanent housing options.

The consequence of this alarming trend costs the taxpayers approximately $5.7 billion annually in the form of lost earnings, lost revenue, criminal justice expenditures (i.e. court fees and incarceration expenses), unplanned pregnancies, and enrollment within cash assistance and public health programs.

As an appointee to the NGA's Center for Best Practices Project on Adolescents in Foster Care, I attended an intensive three-day conference early this week with Senator Mary Lazich and staff from the Department of Children and Families (DCF).  We were provided with enormous amounts of information and data concerning the social, financial, and even psychological impacts resulting from adolescents aging out of foster care with nowhere to go.  Over the next few months, I will continue reviewing the information I was provided at the conference and work with my counterparts in other states in determining the best model for Wisconsin to establish in lowering the rate of young adults left without housing upon exiting the foster care system.

I will happily accept feedback from anyone familiar with Wisconsin's foster care system as we work to ensure a better and more prosperous future for those required to leave at the age of 18.

Tyson Fettes Appointed Racine County Register of Deeds by Governor Walker

This week, Burlington resident Tyson Fettes was appointed as the new Racine County Register of Deeds by Governor Walker.  Currently the Director of Marketing for Real Racine, Fettes will fill the vacancy created by James Ladwig, who resigned upon being elected Racine County Executive.

I have known Fettes for a number of years through our mutual service to Racine County and I'm very confident in his ability to be an effective Register of Deeds.  He has served on the Town of Burlington Board as a Supervisor since 2007, winning re-elections in 2009 and 2011.  He has also been actively involved with the Burlington Jaycees, the Burlington Chocolate Fest Marketing Team, and the Burlington SnoSnopers Snowmobile Club.  Fettes has also served as a board member of the UW-Parkside Alumni Association and Burlington Rotary Club.

I offer my sincerest congratulations to Tyson Fettes in his new role in serving Racine County.

Bristol Progress Days

Beautiful weather provided a great background to another successful Bristol Progress Days.  My family and I enjoyed ourselves at the parade, which featured a number of great entries and farm equipment.  Bristol School Administrator Gale Ryczek and Providence Catholic Elementary School teacher Sue Kaminski were honored as the 2011 Outstanding Citizens for their dedication and service to the community.  Hayley May of Bristol, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls was crowned Miss Bristol for 2011 during the coronation banquet held Friday night.  For complete coverage, including photos and videos, of Bristol Progress Days, please visit West of the I.

Salem Implements Youth in Governance Program

This past week, the Salem Town Board voted to implement a Youth in Governance Program to encourage area high school juniors and seniors to become more active with their local government.  District 25 County Board Supervisor Kim Bruenig led the effort to create the program, indicating that will be "a positive activity to have listed in college applications."

I support this effort by Supervisor Bruenig and the Salem Town Board.  I've been actively involved with the Kenosha County Youth in Governance Program and very much enjoy meeting with high school students and discussing how their state government works with them.  Whether students who choose to participate in Salem's program ultimately pursue careers in public service or not, I believe this program will be beneficial in educating them about government at all levels and how to be engaged citizens in their communities.

Please visit West of the I to learn more about Salem's new Youth in Governance Program and how interested high school juniors and seniors can apply.

If you are interested in tracking the progress of legislation introduced this session, please visit http://legis.wisconsin.gov/ and click on the Notification Service link found on the homepage.