The Inspector General's mandate is to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse in the expenditure of state, county, and local public funds. The Inspector General is appointed to a five-year term by a majority vote of the Attorney General, State Auditor, and Governor. The Inspector General serves as an ex officio member of the Asset Management Board.

The Inspector General's office assists state and local agency efforts to prevent government waste, achieve efficiency, comply with statutes and regulations, perform audits and management reviews, and review proposed legislation. The Inspector General reports regularly to local government officials in public letters and publications, such as the quarterly Procurement Bulletin which focuses on the Uniform Procurement Act (Chapter 30B of the Massachusetts General Laws).

The Office also assists the Attorney General, District Attorneys, and other investigatory agencies in the review of allegations of fraud and abuse, many of which are received through a statewide complaint "hotline." The Inspector General reports results of investigations to the Attorney General or the United States Attorney General when there are reasonable grounds to believe there has been a violation of state or federal criminal law.

Budget Recommendations

The Fiscal Year 1998 budget recommendation includes an additional $400,000 to enable the Inspector General to meet the growing demand for its investigational services.

Budgetary Direct Appropriations

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
0910-0200	For the administration of the office of the inspector general	2,034,946

Budgetary Retained Revenues

PUBLIC PURCHASING CERTIFICATION RETAINED REVENUE
0910-0210	The office of the inspector general is hereby authorized to expend an amount not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars in revenues collected from fees charged to participants in the Massachusetts public purchasing official certification program, for the operation of said program; provided, that for the purpose of accommodating timing discrepancies between the receipt of retained revenues and related expenditures, notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the office of the inspector general may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment amounts not to exceed the lower of this authorization or the most recent revenue estimate therefor as reported in the state accounting system	100,000