The News Journal | Opinion | by John Kowalko
There appears to be a certain illogical resistance to creating an independent Office of Inspector General by some members of the Delaware General Assembly.
SS1 for SB 21, sponsored by state Sen. Laura Sturgeon, is the latest effort to create such an office that would benefit all Delawareans and taxpayers by creating a more transparent public access to government agencies, officials and situations that affect all of us. It would expose incidents of theft, waste and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. It’s certainly a worthwhile endeavor and enjoys the bipartisan support of many legislators and at least 17 groups that support open and transparent government and handling of taxpayer resources.
It makes me, and others, question why exactly SS1 for SB 21 emerged unanimously from the state Senate Executive Committee but is now being stalled by leadership by actions, or lack thereof, of the state Senate Appropriations Committee. The motives of certain leaders in the Senate are not mine to presume or question but if one considers the startup costs of the OIG as identified at less than $1million then the public deserves honest answers. Considering that $15 million of taxpayer money is being donated to Incyte and over $180 million of taxpayer money is set aside for Wilmington Port operations it is unimaginable that funding for an Office of Inspector General, a small amount by comparison, is not being made available and the bill is being consigned to a desk drawer veto of sorts.
It is well established, by the record, that many other states that have Inspector Generals have benefitted from recoveries of money that offset any costs of such an office. It has also been well established that these Inspector Generals’ offices have improved the efficiency of government agencies and have guaranteed the public of a cleansing transparency that enables the public to have an accessible resource for raising concerns. In light of the recent scandal involving embezzlement of unemployment funds and the failure to communicate that situation by the heads of Delaware’s Department of Labor, Delaware Office of Management and Budget and Delaware’s Department of Finance presents a very clear and immediate picture for the need of an independent office to investigate and scrutinize potential or actual wrongdoing.
So, once again, I will ask why certain members of the General Assembly continue to obstruct passage of SS1 for SB21? They should move forward with this bill or explain to the public what they fear if this agency is created.
Do they fear the “Truth”? Do they fear exposure of their own actions? Do they fear that public taxpayers will demand accountability?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
I think it’s very honest and reasonable to say, “We have nothing to fear from the truth.”
Members of Delaware’s General Assembly, do you agree?
John Kowalko is a former Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives. He represented District 25.