Mass. auditor seeks $600K to address rapid staff turnover

Auditor Suzanne Bump asked legislative budget-writers for an extra $600,000 next year, partially to help cope with the "much more rapid turnover" her office is experiencing.

"Frankly, the recent rate of attrition in our office -- as we are providing training programs for our staff, introducing them to data analytics, it means that they have many more opportunities in the private sector," Bump told members of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees at a hearing at Roxbury Community College.

Bump said that, in seeking an increase of $606,253 over this year's appropriation of roughly $20 million, she is asking for "what is essentially a maintenance budget" that sustains current staff and training levels and supports rent increases in two of four regional offices.

She told the committee she was "urgently" asking them to support a funding boost that will allow her office to retain its current workforce. "We need to try to be competitive with the private sector," Bump said. "It's a challenge."

Gov. Charlie Baker recommended funding Bump's office at about $20.43 million, an increase of $360,485 over this year's budget.

Bump also previewed some of the topics her office will dive into over the next year. She said she plans to release reports and audits that examine environmental water quality, identify opportunities for MassHealth savings and efficiencies, and "continue to strengthen our state's system for caring for vulnerable, abused or neglected children."