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<DIV>FYI</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=#6147c5 size=4><STRONG><FONT face="Brush Script MT" size=6>Karen Park<BR></FONT></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=#6147c5 size=4><STRONG>Oregon State Social Security Coordinator</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=#6147c5 size=4><STRONG>Oregon PERS<BR>503 603-7633<BR>karen.park@state.or.us<BR><IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="cid:FWUDRDRFEKIO.IMAGE_25.GIF" align=baseline border=0><BR>SL2</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=#6147c5 size=4></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=#6147c5>Please note my office hours are Monday thru Thursday 6 am to 4:30 pm</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=#6147c5></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=#6147c5></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000000>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=2>CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE: All information in this email, including attachments, is approved solely for delivery to and authorized use by intended recipients. Use, dissemination, distribution, or reproduction of this message and/or any of its attachments by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful. If you are not an intended recipient of this message or an authorized assistant to an intended recipient, please notify the sender by replying to this message and then delete it from your system</FONT>. </P></FONT></DIV><BR><BR>>>> "DeVore, Vandee" <Vandee.DeVore@oa.mo.gov> 4/11/2011 7:29 AM >>><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV>
<DIV style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none">
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'">From:</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'"> Grayson, Tanya [mailto:tgrayson@nasact.org] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, April 11, 2011 9:08 AM<BR><B>To:</B> DeVore, Vandee<BR><B>Subject:</B> Washington Update and NASACT News Highlights!!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Good morning,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>To view the latest Washington Update for April 11, 2011, please visit the NASACT web site at <A href="https://www.nasact.org/washington/washingtonupdate.cfm">https://www.nasact.org/washington/washingtonupdate.cfm</A>.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>Here is what you will read in this week’s update:<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B>Government Shutdown Drama Goes Down to the Wire<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B>State and Municipal Debt Hearing Scheduled for Thursday<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B>Improper Payments Hearing Scheduled for Friday<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><B>Congress Clears 1099 Repeal<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Should you have any questions regarding this week’s update, please feel free to contact Cornelia Chebinou or Neal Hutchko in the NASACT Washington office at 202-624-5451 or by email at <A href="mailto:cchebinou@nasact.org">cchebinou@nasact.org</A> and <A href="mailto:nhutchko@nasact.org">nhutchko@nasact.org</A>.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Thanks and have a great week.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Tanya Grayson<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>NASACT DC Office<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-margin-top-alt: auto" align=center><B><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: black">NASACT News Highlights: What's Going on!</SPAN></U></B><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto"> <B><U><SPAN style="COLOR: black"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: black">If you would like to have an article/issue highlighted for the membership, please send it to NASACT Policy Analyst Neal Hutchko at </SPAN><A href="mailto:nhutchko@nasact.org">nhutchko@nasact.org</A><SPAN style="COLOR: black">. We would appreciate if you could please include the web link to your article for formatting purposes and for proper source citation. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>CALIFORNIA<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-credentials-20110408,0,7573612,print.story">Audit finds years-long backlog of investigations into accused teachers</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Los Angeles Times<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Teachers who have been accused of showing pornography to children, kissing a student, or sexual harassment were not investigated in a timely manner by the state agency in charge of revoking education credentials, according to a state audit released Thursday…<B><o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>DELAWARE<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://auditor.delaware.gov/Audits/FY2010/Financial%20and%20Compliance/DMHRA%20Revised%20Final%20Report.pdf">Delaware Manufactured Home Relocation Authority audit released</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Press release<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>State Auditor R. Thomas Wagner, Jr. has released an audit of the Delaware Manufactured Home Relocation Authority (Authority). The financial audit of the Authority’s nearly $4 million in assets and just over $800 thousand in revenues resulted in one finding that identified weaknesses in internal controls over revenue activities…<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>IDAHO<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/04/03/v-print/1590770/audit-underscores-state-medicaid.html">Audit underscores Idaho's Medicaid-oversight woes</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Idaho Statesman<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333">The state Health and Welfare Department is having problems with its Medicaid system and may have to repay some federal money under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program because it wasn’t spent properly, the Legislative Services Office says. The state drags a fine-toothed comb through the department’s finances for the year that ended June 30 in part to meet federal requirements, since about 70 percent of the department’s $2 billion budget is federally funded, Health and Welfare spokesman Tom Shanahan said. “Idaho does a good job administering its federal funds in compliance with applicable laws and regulations,” Don H. Berg, manager of the legislative audits division, told state officials in a letter with the audit…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>ILLINOIS<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/article_605bd2fa-6255-11e0-9f36-001cc4c03286.html?print=1">Illinois treasurer cuts office’s cellphones, vehicles</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Quad City Times<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Despite “negligible” savings, state Treasurer Dan Rutherford said he is trying to conserve money where possible in his office’s expenses. Rutherford is cutting half the vehicles owned by the Treasurer’s Office and almost three-quarters of the cellphones used by staff, he said Thursday. The office went from 12 to six vehicles and from 36 to 10 state-issued cellphones…<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>MASSACHUSETTS<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/politics/Auditor%3A-tax-code-lacks-accountability">Auditor: tax code lacks accountability</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>WWLP – Boston<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN>Massachusetts is giving billions of dollars in tax breaks to corporations to encourage job growth, but the state auditor says those dollars aren’t being accounted for. State Auditor Suzanne Bump says after reviewing 91 of 203 state tax expenditure programs, collectively valued at $2.2 billion dollars, it’s “clear that our tax code lacks basic accountability and transparency.”…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.iberkshires.com/printerFriendly.php?story_id=38194">State Auditor Talks Money, Politics and Honesty</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>IBerkshires<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Most fourth-graders don't know who their state senator is, but thanks to a visit from Suzanne Bump, pupils at Undermountain Elementary School know who their auditor is and what she does at the State House. At the request of teacher Danielle Forrest and her fourth-grade class, Bump, who was sworn in to office just three months ago, visited the school on Monday morning hoping to answer students' questions about government, money and, of course, politics…<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1328602&format=text">Pension fund plans more activist shareholder role, posts March gain</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Boston Herald<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=articlebegin><SPAN lang=EN>M</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=EN>embers of the board that oversees the state pension fund voted Tuesday to take a more activist stance in the companies that the fund invests in against “inflated” executive compensation, in support of more women and minorities on company boards, against predatory lending practices and in support of practices that address environmental sustainability and climate change. Board chairman and state Treasurer Steven Grossman told reporters that the emphasis on these policy goals were all intended to “maximize shareholder value” and support the values of Massachusetts residents and pensioners...<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>MISSISSIPPI<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://gray.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=State+Auditor+Reports+Record+Keeping+Problem&urlID=450267152&action=cpt&partnerID=27016&cid=119190389&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wtok.com%2Fnews%2Fheadlines%2FState_Auditor_119190389.html">State Auditor Reports Record Keeping Problem</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>WTOK - Quitman<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>State Auditor Stacey Pickering met with members of the Clarke County Board of Supervisors to inform them of an emergency cash count that began Monday in the circuit clerk’s office “This is the third county in the last 30 days that my office has gone into and found problems with the financial record keeping that is mandated by state law," said Pickering…<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>MISSOURI<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.auditor.mo.gov/press/2011-14.htm">State Auditor Releases Petition Audit of University City</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Press Release<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>State Auditor Tom Schweich today released the completed petition audit of University City. The audit was conducted pursuant to a petition signed by 2,881 qualified voters of the city. In accordance with state law, the city will be responsible for the cost of the audit estimated to be $80,000… <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>NEW JERSEY<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/Auditor/78110.pdf">Audit of Bridge Maintenance Contract Expenditures</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Press Release<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>This audit includes a review of bridge painting maintenance expenditures funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)….<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/economy/nj-treasurer-introduces-office-of-the-taxpayer-advocate-in-state-division-of-taxation/print">N.J. Treasurer introduces Office of the Taxpayer Advocate in state Division of Taxation</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>New Jersey Newsroom<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB>State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff announced Tuesday that he has created the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate within the Treasury Department’s Division of Taxation.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB>Sidamon-Eristoff said the role of the taxpayer advocate will be to simplify New Jersey‘s tax regulations for the public and provide help in navigating the tax code...<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>OHIO<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/printer_friendly/5013338">Kasich orders audits to correct 'mismanaged' state agencies</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The Daily Record<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Gov. John Kasich has signed into law legislation requiring special audits of certain state agencies to identify potential cost-cutting measures. Senate Bill 4 will require the state auditor to conduct the so-called performance audits on at least four state agencies every two years, with those agencies required to implement the resulting recommendations or explain why they chose not to do so…<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>OREGON<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.ktvz.com/print/27457157/detail.html">Oregon Financial Report Offers Grim Outlook</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>KTVZ - Salem<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal>Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown's financial condition report, released Wednesday, shows how the state met the recession-driven needs of Oregonians over the past several years with additional federal funds, borrowing, and spending of reserves. However, she warned, these options are less available for the future. “These negative trends can be the guides to help Oregon get and keep its financial house in order,” said Audits Director Gary Blackmer. “Our objective was to show many of the major drivers of Oregon’s finances over the past nine years, which helps explain the situation we find ourselves in this year.”…<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><B>SOUTH CAROLINA<o:p></o:p></B></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.blufftontoday.com/print/46887">S.C. Comptroller General staff stretched on payroll processing </A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Bluffton Today<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN>Last week the S.C. Senate Constitutional & Criminal Justice Subcommittee granted state Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom’s request that $127,000 that was cut by House lawmakers be put back in his office’s budget. He said the general fund appropriation for his office, which has 33 full-time equivalents, went from $5.3 million to about $2 million in recent years. “We cut our staff to the point where we have absolutely no backup,” said Eckstrom. “We’re running the entire state payroll with two people.”... <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><B>WISCONSIN<o:p></o:p></B></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><A href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-wisconsin-aidaudi,0,2129797,print.story">Audit finds Wis. prisoners got federal benefits</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Chicago Tribune<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal>Wisconsin prison inmates wrongly received at least $250,000 in federal unemployment and food stamp benefits that should be repaid, an audit released Friday found. The Legislative Audit Bureau report found more than $12 million in benefit payments and other questionable charges were made in the 2009 fiscal year. The biggest chunk is nearly $10 million in unemployment benefit overpayments including some that went to prison inmates…<o:p></o:p></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN lang=EN>OTHER NEWS<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN><A href="http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USTRE7305Z020110401">U.S. wants states to reveal more about pension funding</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN>Reuters<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal>A federal board will soon propose that U.S. states disclose more about their pension funding as worries grow whether states and municipalities can pay for their employees' pensions…<B><SPAN lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
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