ST. PAUL -- State Sen. Dan Sparks and State Rep. Barb Goodwin have introduced legislation to reform state contracting.

"The keystones of good contract management are oversight, accountability, cost control and competition," Goodwin said. "This legislation will reduce contracting by $100 million, but also do more than simply save money in the face of our current budget shortfall.

"It will ensure that Minnesota taxpayers can have confidence their tax dollars are being spent wisely, effectively and efficiently to deliver the public services they expect and pay for. We will no longer allow consultants to use the state budget like an ATM."

"The vast majority of work government does is accomplished by state agencies out of public view," Sparks said. "This legislation is intended to break open what has become a closed system that operated with little public or legislative scrutiny.

"Yet hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent every year."

Goodwin began investigating state contracting when she was a television investigative reporter.

Her recent research revealed state spending on outside contracts has doubled from 1996 to 2001 to a staggering total of $865 million.

Goodwin's legislation calling for a state consulting "freeze" passed the 2002 legislative session.

However, subsequent news reporting revealed more than 2,200 "emergency" contracts had been granted anyway.

Addition research by the Legislative Auditor revealed violations of state law and management practices in contracting with the Department of Transportation and other large agencies.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com