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Audit: Pawlenty got tech staff without formal deal
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ST. PAUL, Minn. - Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office has been getting computer support staffing from a state technology office without a formal agreement that would have triggered detailed reporting of the costs.
A routine audit said Friday that the Minnesota Office of Enterprise Technology paid $341,000 in salary and fringe benefits from July 2006 to April 2009 for a computer support and database specialist in Pawlenty's office.
The informal arrangement meant lawmakers got no financial details about the computer support in an August report on Pawlenty's staff costs paid by other state agencies. That report detailed $676,000 in such costs for the budget year ended in June, for positions ranging from policy analysts to a groundskeeper.
Democrats have criticized the Republican governor for spreading his personnel costs to other state agencies, saying it makes his budget look unnaturally lean. Earlier this year, they re-passed a 2007 law requiring Pawlenty to disclose staff costs paid by other agencies. The earlier law had expired with previous budget appropriations.
Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung said the computer support costs weren't detailed because no formal agreement had been signed between the governor's office and the Office of Enterprise Technology until June 30.
Such agreements were recommended by Legislative Auditor James Nobles, whose audit of the Office of Enterprise Technology said state policy requires written documentation when state agencies share personnel or resources.
"Without an authorized written agreement, questions or conflicts about duties, compensation, or other terms of the agreement are more likely to arise," the audit said.
Rep. Ryan Winkler said the informal computer arrangement was sloppy.
"He likes to talk about cutting budgets and tightening belts and so forth. He makes it look like he does that in public but he goes around the back door and brings in more state employees to work for him under these agreements," said Winkler, a Democrat from Golden Valley.
McClung said governors have disclosed formal interagency agreements with state agencies for years, dating back to the 1990s. He said Pawlenty and his predecessor, Gov. Jesse Ventura, told lawmakers that the Office of Enterprise Technology was providing network and computer services for the governor's office.
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Current state office holders
Governor: Tim Pawlenty
One of only a few prominent Republicans to win a competitive re-election contest in the Democratic sweep of 2006, Tim Pawlenty is widely seen as politically shrewd and naturally likable.
- Lt. Governor: Carol Molnau
- Secretary of State: Mark Ritchie
- Attorney General: Lori Swanson
- State Auditor: Rebecca Otto
Minnesota's political giants: Learn more about the men and women who have shaped Minnesota's political history.
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