Comptroller seeks to shift 2.75 payroll FTEs to general fund; reports progress on S253 recommendations

Comptroller General Gaines asked the Constitutional Subcommittee to approve a funding-source change that would move 2.75 full-time equivalents from other funds into the general fund, saying the agency is not requesting additional positions but wants payroll supported by the general fund while operations remain on other revenue streams.

"We would like to move 2.75 of our FTEs from other funds over to general funds," Gaines told the committee, adding that the request is driven by declining revenue from non‑general‑fund sources such as payroll-deduction fees and child-support deduction collections.

Gaines also updated the panel on implementation of S253, the compliance-consultant bill passed last year. He said the state hired accounting consultants (I. Bailey) to assist with recommended reforms and that of the 33 recommendations assigned to the central government office, nine are fully complete, 14 are complete pending final sign-off and 10 are in progress. "We are hoping to have the majority of those completed by the March 7 deadline," he said.

Committee members pressed Gaines on the decline in other-fund revenue. Gaines told members the falloff is largely structural: fewer payroll-deduction fees as employees take fewer deductions and fewer child-support withholdings as some obligations are resolved, leaving the agency with a smaller dedicated revenue stream.

The comptroller emphasized the agency used last year’s funding to hire the independent consultant and to implement new policies and system enhancements, including 10 new statewide accounting policies, nine new procedural documents and several reporting and training improvements.

The subcommittee did not take immediate action; Gaines concluded by thanking members and confirming he will provide any follow-up information requested by the committee.