News & Press Releases

October 2024

News

• VERMONT PUBLIC
  • Vt. auditor praises state regulators for improvements in elder care facility safety
     
• VTDIGGER
  • Vermont has improved long-term care inspection process, state auditor finds

Press Release

• Follow Up to Audit of Vermont’s Efforts to Protect Long-Term Care Home Residents Finds Major Improvements

September 2024

News

• VTDIGGER
  • Most tasks in Vermont hazard mitigation plan left incomplete, auditor says

• WCAX
  • Vt. auditor says poor oversight hampers state hazard mitigation efforts

• VERMONT PUBLIC
  • Vermont missed opportunities to reduce natural disaster hazards, report finds

• ABC22 & FOX44 BURLINGTON | MyChamplainValley.com
  • Audit finds Vermont failed to complete steps to reduce risk from natural disasters such as flooding

 

April 2024

News

• BURLINGTON FREE PRESS
  • Auditor finds state bungled oversight of Jay Peak EB-5 projects in massive fraud

     

March 2024

News

• WCAX & 802 News with Mark Johnson
  • State Officials and the EB-5 Scandal

 

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Audit of State Government’s Oversight Role in the Jay Peak, Burke, and AnC Bio Vermont EB-5 Frauds

   

January 2024

News

• Town Meeting TV
  • Vermont Auditor Doug Hoffer: Efficient & Effective State Government in 2023
     
• WVMT
  • Doug Hoffer, joins Kurt & Anthony to discuss his latest issues concerning TIF Districts

• WCAX
  • Vt. auditor finds ‘consequential mistakes’ in Burlington TIF accounting
     
• WCAX
  • Are investments to solve Vermont’s nurse shortage paying off?
     
• WPTZ NBC5
  • NBC5 In Depth: Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer on his role as government watchdog

 

December 2023

News

• WCAX
  • Audit assesses timeliness of Vt. Public Utility Commission

 

October 2023

News

• WVMT
  • Interview with State Auditor Doug Hoffer: Vermont’s 10-Year Telecommunications Plan

• VTDIGGER
  • Vermont state auditor, Public Service Department at odds over telecom plan

 

September 2023

News

• BURLINGTON FREE PRESS
  • Why despite $2.6 million and 7 years, Vermont still does not have a dental therapy program
     
• WCAX
  • Did Vt. taxpayer dollars for dental training program pay off?
     
• SEVEN DAYS
  • Report Blames Vermont Technical College for Delayed Dental Program 

• VTDIGGER
  • Despite $2.5M investment, dental therapy program has not yet materialized at Vermont State University, auditor finds

 

June 2023

News

• WPTZ NBC5

  • Vermont State Auditor: Orange County Sheriff's Department finances are a mess

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Memo Declaring Orange County Sheriff’s Department Cannot be Audited Due to Financial Management Irregularities

 

May 2023

News

• VTDIGGER
  • State auditor finds delays and cost overruns in information technology projects

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Audit of the Agency of Digital Service’s IT Project Management

 

March 2023

News

• VERMONT PUBLIC
  • Vt. regulators fail to regularly inspect, quickly address issues at elder care facilities, audit finds
• SEVEN DAYS
  • Audit: Eldercare Homes Need More State Oversight

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Audit of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living’s Efforts to Protect Long-Term Care Home Residents

___________________________________

News

• RUTLAND HERALD
  • State auditor raises concern with internet build out

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Report Identifying Risks to Vermont’s Universal Broadband Efforts

___________________________________

News

• VTDIGGER
  • Auditor: Vermont’s road paving program lacks transparency, accountability

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Audit of VTrans Cost and Schedule Performance on Paving Projects

 

January 2023

News

• SEVEN DAYS
  • State Audit Finds Burlington's Waterfront District Finances 'Rife With Errors' 
• WCAX
  • Report: Burlington TIF accounting led to over $1.2 million in mistakes
• VTDIGGER
  • State audit of Burlington’s tax increment financing finds ‘millions of dollars of mistakes’
• VERMONTBIZ
  • Hoffer issues trenchant audit of Burlington Waterfront TIF district

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Audit of Burlington Waterfront TIF District

 

December 2022

News

• VTDIGGER
  • State auditor: Vermont prison system mishandled incarcerated people’s grievances
• SEVEN DAYS
  • Vermont DOC to Overhaul Inmate Grievance System Following Audit

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Audit of Department of Corrections’ Handling of Inmate Grievances

________________________________

News

• WDEV Vermont Viewpoint
  • Auditing Vermont State Government Past, Present, and Future

 

September 2022

News

• WCAX
  • No policies to ensure Vt. police meet minimum training requirements, report says
• VTDIGGER
  • State auditor finds police training council’s oversight is not up to snuff
• THE TIMES ARGUS
  • State audit identifies issues with police training records, model policies

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases Audit of Vermont Law Enforcement Training

 

July 2022

News

• RUTLAND HERALD
  • Homelessness report gathers a lot of data, asks big questions
• SEVEN DAYS
  • State Auditor: Vermont's Soaring Spending on Homelessness Lacks Vision
• WCAX
  • Is Vermont homeless spending having an impact?
• VERMONTBIZ
  • Auditor: Homeless tripled, as spending nears half-billion dollars
• VTDIGGER
  • Homelessness continues to rise in Vermont since pandemic’s onset, despite increased spending

______________________________

News

• THE TIMES ARGUS
  • Editorial: Regressive decision
     
• VERMONTBIZ
  • Hoffer: The Vermont Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to government transparency and accountability

 

June 2022

News

• VERMONTBIZ
  • Hoffer: Bad data should not drive policy

 

March 2022

News

• VTDIGGER
  • Auditor finds state overpaid health care providers $7 million using federal Covid relief funds
• WCAX
  • Audit finds Vermont overpaid millions in pandemic relief to health care providers
  • Auditor evaluates Vermont’s COVID health care provider grants, some were improper

Press Release

• Auditor Hoffer Evaluates Vermont’s COVID Health Care Provider Grants

_______________________________

News

• RUTLAND HERALD
  • What the Vt. Department of Labor must do to protect data

 

February 2022

News

• RUTLAND HERALD
  • Audit finds Vermont behind on dam safety
• WCAX-TV
  • Audit finds many Vermont dams in poor condition
• VTDIGGER
  • State mismanaged aging dams, auditor finds
• ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Audit finds some Vermont dams in poor condition for years

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Evaluates Vermont Efforts to Prevent Dam Failures

 

January 2022

News

• VERMONTBIZ
  • Hoffer asks if Vermont is ‘Measuring Up’ in evaluation of government performance reporting
• WCAX-TV
  • Vt. auditor questions how state measures residents’ well-being
• VTDIGGER
  • Does the state government know how best to measure Vermonters’ well-being?

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Asks If Vermont is “Measuring Up” in New Evaluation of Performance Reporting in Vermont State Government

 

December 2021

News

• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor questions finding that those paid to relocate to Vermont added millions to the economy

 

November 2021

News

• BURLINGTON FREE PRESS
  • Vermont auditor says there's money to be saved on state employee health care

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Evaluates Options to Control the Rising Cost of State Employee Health Care

 

October 2021

News

• WCAX-TV
  • Is federal workforce program paying off for Vermont’s unemployed?

September 2021

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases New Report Evaluating Department of Labor Job Training Programs

News

• RUTLAND HERALD
  • Auditor critical of coronavirus program's methodology
• VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO
  • Reporter Debrief: State Auditor Cautions Pandemic-Era Business Relief Program May Have Violated Federal Guidelines
• WCAX-TV
  • Vermont officials defend disbursement of pandemic cash
• SEVEN DAYS
  • Some Vermont Businesses Received Excessive Pandemic Relief, Auditor Says

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases New Report: “COVID-19 Emergency Economic Recovery Grant Program”

________________________________

News

• WPTZ NBC5
  • In Depth: Vermont state auditor draws issue with new hospital windfall

_______________________________

News

• WCAX-TV
  • Online tool allows Vermonters to compare hospital costs

 

August 2021

News

• BURLINGTON FREE PRESS
  • Vermont state auditor touts hospital price transparency tools as key to saving money

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Alerts Vermonters to Health Care Price Transparency Tools

 

June 2021

News

• SEVEN DAYS
  • OneCare Vermont Costs More Than It's Saving the State, Auditor Finds
• VT DIGGER
  • State auditor report: All-payer system costs more than it’s saving
• WCAX-TV
  • Vermont auditor questions health care reform implementation costs

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases New Report: “All-Payer ACO Model Implementation Costs”

 

May 2021

News

• WPTZ NBC5
  • NBC5 In Depth: Breaking down the 'American Rescue Plan' with state auditor

______________________________

News

• WCAX-TV
  • New report details state’s spending on Vermont dairy farms
• LOCAL 22 WVNY | MyChamplainValley.com
  • New report details Vermont dairy farm struggles
• SEVEN DAYS
  • Hoffer: Vermont's Dairy Industry Netted $285 Million in State Support Over a Decade
• BURLINGTON FREE PRESS
  • How Vermont dairy farms have changed: Bigger herds, more efficient production

Press Release

• Auditor Doug Hoffer Releases New Report: “Examining Vermont State Spending on the Dairy Industry from 2010 to 2019”

 

April 2021

News

• SEVEN DAYS
  • Some Vermont Businesses Didn’t Need Pandemic Aid They Received, State Auditor Says

_________________________________

Press Release

• State Auditor Doug Hoffer Appoints Tim Ashe as Deputy State Auditor, Thanks Andrew Stein for His Service

 

March 2021

News

• WCAX
  • Vt. auditor’s report takes aim at ed agency’s oversight of independent schools

 

February 2021

News

• SEVEN DAYS
  • Vermont Sues OneCare to Obtain Payroll Records for Auditor

Press Release

• Attorney General Donovan & State Auditor Hoffer Sue Onecare Over Refusal to Release Records

 

January 2021

News

• VALLEY NEWS
  • State audits special tax district in Hartford

 

December 2020

Press Release

• New Report: Vermont Employment Growth Incentive Parts 2 and 3: VEPC Due Diligence and Other Matters

 

October 2020

News

• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor Doug Hoffer says regulators should do more to control health care costs

 

August 2020

News

• VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO
  • Vermont Auditor Questions Legality Of State Incentive Award
• VALLEY NEWS
  • Growth of health costs in Vt. exceeds US average
• SAINT ALBANS MESSENGER
  • State auditor Doug Hoffer connects rising health care costs in Vt. to consolidation

 

July 2020

News

• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor questions oversite of OneCare

 

May 2020

Press Release

• Hoffer announces new COVID-19 website

 

January 2020

News

• WDEV - Vermont Conversation with David Goodman
  • Is VT wasting money on programs that don’t work? VT State Auditor Doug Hoffer

 

December 2019

News

• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor: School districts, service providers failed to check child abuse registry

 

November 2019

News

• SEVEN DAYS
  • State Auditor Hoffer Slams Vermont Remote Worker Program
• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor’s office: Remote worker program of ‘questionable value’
• WPTZ-NBC5
  • New report sharply critical of Vermont relocation incentive program

 

October 2019

News

• VT DIGGER
  • OneCare failed to track community health programs, auditor says

 

July 2019

News

• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor questions use of lake cleanup funds
• WPTZ -NBC5
  • State auditor says initial water quality grants went to costly, low-benefit projects

Press Release

• New Report: “Where’s the Money Flowing? Cost-Effectiveness of Lake Champlain Cleanup Efforts”

 

June 2019

News

• St. Albans Messenger
  • Auditor Hoffer's Response to Emerson Lynn's Critique of My Audit

 

May 2019

News

• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor: St. Albans owes money to ed fund for TIF errors
• Green Mountain Daily
  • St. Albans City Manager Objects to TIF Audit

Press Release 

• City of St. Albans Makes Unauthorized Use of TIF District Debt and Understates Tax Increment; City Owes TIF District and State Education Fund

 

April 2019

News

• VPR
  • Audit Update: Checking In On Dr. Dynasaur, EB-5 And OneCare
• VT DIGGER
  • Auditor finds delinquent Medicaid customers still get benefits

 

February 2019

News

• VT DIGGER
  • Bill would boost scrutiny of ‘all-payer’ program

 

October 2018

News

VT DIGGER

Auditor: Tax abatements properly granted, but poorly documented

 

July 2018

News

Vermont Biz

Audit finds possible fraud in Medicaid Residential Services

VT DIGGER

In-home care program improperly paid $150K, audit finds

_______________________________

News

• VPR
  • State Auditor Report Says Impact Of Vermont's Business Incentives Is Hard To Measure
• Vermont Biz
  • Auditor can’t quantify benefit of economic incentives
• SEVEN DAYS
  • Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives

__________________________________

News

• VPR
  • State Auditor: Ag Agency Needs Better Data, Monitoring Of Farm Pollution Control
• VT DIGGER
  • State auditor queries ag agency’s tracking of water quality spending

 

April 2018

• News

  • VTrans told to bridge its inspections communications gap

 

December 2017

News

Vote for Vermont - Campaign for Vermont (an ORCA Media Presentation)

Doug Hoffer, Holding State Government Accountable

 

October 2017

News

VT DIGGER

Auditor: State regulator failed to enforce environmental laws

 

July 2017

News

Stowe Reporter

Resorts Agree to Change Leases: Vail will bring uphill ski policy to Stowe

 

June 2017

News

 

VPR

Audit: State Investigations Into Alleged Employee Misconduct Lack Paper Trail

VT DIGGER

Auditor: State paid workers $3M during misconduct probes

Rutland Herald

Audit finds state lax on forced paid leave

News

VT DIGGER

Auditor: State construction projects ran late and over budget

Vermont Biz

Auditor: State building projects plagued by $24.6 million in cost overruns

VPR

New Audit Shows Major Cost Overruns In State Construction Projects

 

February 2017

News

VT DIGGER

Auditor: Public Safety Spending Up as Crime Rate Flat

 

December 2016

News

VT DIGGER

Auditor: Price Transparency Still Lacking in Vermont Health Care

 

October 2016

News

VT DIGGER 

Audit questions state web portal fees

VERMONTBIZ

Auditor: Some state web fees not approved as required                     

News

VT DIGGER

Auditor: Millions of Dollars Later, VITL’S Impact Not Measurable

                                       

September 2016

News  

VT DIGGER

Auditor Targets DCFs Response To Benefits Fraud

VPR

Does Vermont Really Have An Embezzlement Problem?

 

July 2016

News

VT DIGGER

Audit: Many State Employees Weren't Evaluated Last Year

Vermont Biz       

State auditor gives mild rebuke to three departments over performance reviews

VPR

Perspectives On The EB-5 Scandal

                                             

April 2016

News                     

VT DIGGER         

Auditor Identifies Data Collection Problems at Tax Department

                                             

March 2016

Press Release

Agency of Education’s Calculations Generally Followed Law but Data Quality Could Be Enhanced

News

VT DIGGER

Auditor says Education Data Collection Could Use Improvement     

 

February 2016

News             

ORCA Media - Community Access Television

State of the State: Doug Hoffer, Vermont Auditor of Accounts

 

December 2015

Press Release      

Auditor Finds Excessive Reliance on Uncompetitive Contracting Practices

 SEVEN DAYS

 Hoffer Finds Rampant No-Bid Contracting in State Government

 VPR

 Audit Of State Contracts Calls For A More Competitive Bidding Process     

 VTDIGGER

 Auditor: Agency of Education Failed to Seek Competitive Bids for Federal Money                                         

 

September 2015

News           

Vermont Training Program – Compliance and Performance

 

 

August 2015

Press Release    

Much Work Remains in Efforts to Detect and Prevent Worker Misclassification 

News                  

 VTDIGGER         

State Not Doing Enough to Enforce Employment Laws

VPR

Some Vt. Employers May Misclassify Workers As 'Contractors' To Avoid Expensive Benefits               

 

July 2015

Press Release    

Hoffer Announces New Audits

 

June 2015

Press Release       

State Auditor Calls For Improved Oversight: Department of Corrections’ Transitional Housing 

VTDIGGER          

State Auditor's Report Finds Fault with Prison Housing Program

 

April 2015

Press Release     

State Auditor: Despite Some Progress, There Are Still Serious Problems with VT Health Connect

VTDIGGER                  

No guarantee State can complete Vermont Health Connect

VPR

Audit of Vermont Health Connect shows system has 'Critical Shortcomings'

 

February 2015

Press Release

State Auditor Examines State Government Energy Consumption

WPTZ-NBC5

Auditor unable to pinpoint government energy usage

Press Release    

State Auditor Reviews MIT Professor's Contract 

VTDIGGER

Auditor Suggests Gruber may have overbilled

 

January 2015

Press Release    

State Auditor Examines Ski Area Leases of Public Lands

VTDIGGER    

Doug Hoffer: Setting the Record Straight on State's Land Leases to Ski Areas                                                                                                                                                     

VPR        

Auditor Says Vermont Should Charge Ski Resorts More For Use

VTDIGGER

Ski Area Leases Of State Land Badly Outdated, Auditor Finds

 

November 2014

Press Release    

Auditor questions state role in liquor sales

VTDIGGER   

Auditor questions state’s role in liquor sales

 

October 2014

Press Release

Auditor Hoffer calls on AHS Departments to Improve Oversight of Designated Agencies

VTDIGGER

Auditor slams state’s failure to track social service contracts

 

August 2014                    

Press Release

Auditor Commends PSB for Plans to Improve Public Access to Information

Burlington Free Press

End the Privatization of Public Records

Burlington Free Press

Auditor criticizes Public Service Board access

VTDIGGER    

Auditor urges PSB to make transcripts more affordable

News

Vermont Health Connect Audit Announcement

Burlington Free Press                          

State auditor to review Vermont Health Connect

VTDIGGER                                    

State auditor plans performance audit of Vermont Health Connect

 

July 2014

Press Release      

State Auditor Releases Second Sex Offender Registry Audit

SEVEN DAYS                               

Vermont Sex Offender Registry's Problems Persist

Burlington Free Press                                  

Audit finds errors in sex offender registry

VTDIGGER                                  

State Auditor says problems persist with Sex Offender Registry

 

June 2014

Press Release    

State Auditor Examines Consumer Access to Health Care Information

VT DIGGER       

Auditor’s report says state could be doing more to make health care costs transparent for consumers

 

April 2014                         

News

VTDIGGER

Contract prevents state auditor from reviewing VSEA pharmacy benefits

News

VPR                                              

Lawmakers Mull Protections For Whistleblowers

 

November 2013

Press Release    

Auditor says oversight of State cell phones is deficient

VTDIGGER                                                            

State cellphone audit uncovers waste

 

October 2013

Press Release

Auditor finds cost overruns in correctional health care

Brattleboro Reformer                                                            

Audit: Health costs over budget for Vt inmates                                               

VTDIGGER                                                               

September 2013

Press Release

Hoffer announces new audits

Rutland Herald

State auditor targets four areas

The Mark Johnson Show

Auditor of Accounts discusses the work of the office 

VTDIGGER

Auditor’s report uncovers problems with transitional housing 

Bennington Banner                                                   

Report finds issues with transitional housing

Press Release

State Auditor Examines AOT Projects, Practices

VTDIGGER   

Road construction audits finds room for impovement

                                                         

Press Release     

Auditor finds flaws in state workforce safety efforts

VTDIGGER                                                        

Auditor uncovers weaknesses in state's workers' compensation office

Brattleboro Reformer                                                     

 

 

May 2013                    

Press Release

Auditor Applauds TIF Reforms  

Milton Independent                                                     

Milton officials reflect on $22k TIF bill

VTDIGGER                       

Municipalities to pay back some money over TIF dispute

 

April 2013 

News                      

VTDIGGER                                                     

Auditor proposes identity protection for whistleblowers

 

March 2013 

Tax Increment Financing - Recent Communications

Auditor's letter to Secretary Jeb Spaulding

Winooski's Response to SAO letter to Secretary Spaulding

Auditor's Response to Winooski

Milton's Response to SAO letter to Secretary Spaulding

Auditor's Response to Milton