State candidate suggests adding (another) waste hotline
Published: 2010-06-21 18:45:44By: Daniel Bice | JS Online | March 15, 2010
Rebecca Kleefisch, the former TV newswoman-turned-political candidate, says Wisconsin should follow the lead of other states by creating a hotline so public employees and concerned citizens can report abuse and fraud in state government.
The lieutenant governor wannabe is suggesting the phone number be called a state "waste line."
"Government is too porky and needs to watch its waste line," Kleefisch says in a YouTube.com announcement of the proposal, which she also discussed on her Facebook page. "Just like we had those crime tip lines (on TV news), we can easily implement a budget waste line here in the state of Wisconsin."
There's just one problem with the idea.
In 2008, Wisconsin lawmakers set up just such a hotline so anybody could call with tips regarding fraud, abuse or mismanagement in state government.
Among those voting for the proposal both in committee and on the legislative floor:
Rep. Joel Kleefisch, the Oconomowoc Republican and Rebecca's husband.
So what would be a bigger waste than creating another government waste hotline?
On Friday, Kleefisch claimed - not very convincingly - that she knew her proposal would duplicate a service already available.
"I did," she said. "But it's not organically generating the cuts that we need to see."
She might be right - if anybody could figure out what that means.
Kleefisch explained, "Generated from inside, state employees and people who are state contractors who see waste, fraud and abuse - that's what I'm talking about."
OK.
But the existing hotline is doing just fine, according to the state official who runs it.
"It's working well," said Janice Mueller, the veteran chief of the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau. "It's another tool in our toolbox."
The hotline, which is staffed by a certified fraud examiner, received 140 reports in its first nine months. Many of those were kicked to prosecutors or other state agencies.
But some of the tips did pan out.
For instance, one caller complained about the concrete laid by Department of Transportation contractors. Auditors followed up and identified problems with DOT's system of ensuring the quality of work done by contractors. Another investigation prompted by a hotline tipster led to changes in the state Department of Administration's system for contracting for printing and mailing services.
There are other hotlines for reporting abuse and fraud.