In A City in Salta They Do Not Know How They Implemented the Budget Since 2004
<p style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">The provincial Audit declined to comment on the financial situation of Colonia Santa Rosa because the district did not report the latest ordinances that regulate the use of the funds. The report was made at the request of the neighbors and notes that it was impossible to verify how much money entered or how it was spent. There are "weaknesses" that would foster "prejudice to the interests" of the public.</span></p>
At the request of some neighbors of a municipality in Salta, the provincial Audit decided to analyze the implementation of the local budget, but several "limitations of an operational nature" hindered the work of the inspection body and, therefore, the conclusion of the report finally approved this year was a disclaimer of opinion.
The commune in question is Colonia Santa Rosa, a town of about 17 thousand inhabitants, located 246 kilometers north of the capital of Salta, and constraints appeared when the city not made available to the Audit ordinances approved budget between 2004 and 2008.
Despite not having the information requested, the inspection body may be noted that in Colonia Santa Rosa "there are no registration of effected expenditures respecting different stages of spending," adding: "The failure to submit the relevant budget ordinances for the years 2004-2008, with their respective side notes-, it prevented the verification of implementation of authorized for each of the works "that were analyzed.”
As an example, the Salta Audit notes that in 2007 the city received $ 31,600 to refurbish public schools and, according to budget information, "they applied only $ 8,032.25, unable to determine the destiny given to the difference of $ 23,567, 75."
Specifically, the district did not expose the approved 2004 budget, "only one project only delivered without the approval of the City Council," says the report. Also they missed the additions to the budget ordinances of 2005, 2006, 2007, and the approved 2008 budget.
Without these documents, for the Watchdog it was impossible to verify the income of funds in the municipal accounts, the application of resources and the information included in budget implementation and accounting records.
However, it was possible to detect that "the municipality manufactures did not produce program budgets and performance indicators," so they do not know if the objectives pursued by the various initiatives of the community are met.
On the other hand, the report explains that "there are functions to be performed by different municipal agents (but) they are performed by a single (employee) and making payment orders, treasury and accounting records." This situation, according to the Audit, "denotes a weakness and sets up an environment conducive to the eventual realization of different types of irregularities to the detriment of municipal interest framework."