We appreciate the opportunity to explain value of the Director of Internal Audit and Control (DIAC) and the Legislature’s diligence in reviewing the resources required by all County Departments. As you may be aware, the internal audit function of the County Comptroller’ Office safeguards taxpayer interests, returning more than it costs by identifying lost revenues and cost savings. Furthermore, the DIAC is not a new position, but one that existed since 2013, was kept vacant for COVID, and is proposed for restoration in the 2022 Executive Budget.
Due to the present vacancy, internal audit work not conducted is a financial loss to the taxpayer. Lack of this position was identified by the Legislature’s budget consultants as a weakness. The reduced staffing scenario limits the number of internal audits we can conduct annually.