WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |Audit: LA gov't vehicles not properly monitored

Audit: LA gov't vehicles not properly monitored

BATON ROUGE, LA (AP) - A new audit says the state agency that watches over Louisiana's state-owned vehicles doesn't ensure the state only buys cars it needs and doesn't properly monitor the cars the state owns.

Legislative Auditor Steve Theriot's office says many of the state's cars are unnecessary, and the audit says the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency doesn't make sure employees aren't abusing a policy that lets them take state-owned cars home.

The property agency is in the governor's Division of Administration. The performance audit comes as Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis has already made a mission of shrinking the state vehicle fleet and has put a freeze on buying more.

In her response to the audit, Davis says she agrees with the audit findings and repeated her committment to cut down on state-owned cars and end misuse.

Louisiana has more than 13,200 state-owned vehicles in its fleet, according to the audit.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)