November 18, 1996
New Chairman announces move to secure start-up funds
Columbia -- This morning Governor David Beasley named Lt. Governor Bob Peeler Chairman of the Performance Audit Steering Committee. Governor Beasley cited the Lieutenant Governor's background in business and commitment to reform in selecting Peeler to head the committee."Bob comes from the business world and has proven that he knows how to put business principles to work in state government. He is as committed as I am to reducing the size and scope of government and making it more consumer friendly. I am confident the Performance Audit Steering Committee will enjoy great success."
Although performance audit funding fell victim to supplemental budget shortfalls, the newly appointed Chairman didn't waste any time getting to work. Flanked by Senator John Drummond (D-Greenwood), Peeler announced his first action as Chairman was to request a $250,000 transfer in carry-over funds from the State Reorganization Commission to provide seed money for a performance audit of state government.
"This is a good government measure whose time has come. Therefore, I have enlisted the aid of Senator Drummond and Representative Henry Brown to request the State Reorganization Commission to transfer approximately $250,000 in funds for the performance audit. This will allow us to begin the long overdue work of analyzing government based not only upon balance sheets, but upon results."
Said House Ways and Means Chairman Henry Brown, " I really feel we have dedicated state employees who are willing and desire to do a better job. A performance audit should provide fresh opportunities and open doors for positive changes that employees alone could not bring about."
Speaker of the House David Wilkins echoed Brown's sentiments, "As elected officials, many of us have promised the people of South Carolina that we will work to reduce the size of government and run it efficiently. The performance audit is a key element in fulfilling this promise."
A full scale, comprehensive independent audit of state government will require approximately $2 million in funding. However, the funds Peeler has requested will allow the committee to frame the audit and perhaps begin an independent audit of one or two agencies as early as this spring.
Said Senator Drummond, "At tomorrow's meeting of the State Reorganization Commission, I will be requesting a transfer of funds to the performance audit committee. Such a transfer is consistent with the State Reorganization Commission's mission and I'm excited about the possibilities of the performance audit. I know that Lieutenant Governor Peeler and the committee will work hard and do a good job."
Other states that have conducted similar independent audits include Mississippi, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and North Carolina. In fact, just three years outside a performance audit of state government, North Carolina has realized over $130 million in savings.
Peeler concluded, "Here in South Carolina we've gone over 200 years without an independent outside audit of state government. We couldn't do that in business, and we shouldn't do that in government. Our committee has a lot of work to do, but I'm confident that ultimately we'll yield great savings for the people of South Carolina."
Other Performance Audit Steering Committee members include: Hunter Howard of Columbia, Rep. Tom Keegan of Surfside Beach, Ed McMullen of Columbia, Jim Micali of Greenville, Senator Ernie Passailaigue, former state treasurer Grady Patterson, Ruth Clinkscales of Greenville, and Tim Scott of Charleston.
The Performance Audit Steering Committee will meet for the first time on December 3 in Columbia.