State auditors have found that the Kansas Department of Commerce is not fully complying with a law requiring the maintenance of a public database tracking economic development incentive programs. The database was intended to provide transparency on how millions of dollars in incentives were distributed, but auditors found shortcomings including missing programs and incomplete information on recipients.
The auditors identified 13 incentive programs missing from the database and revealed that some programs lacked required disclosures. Senator Mike Thompson believes lawmakers should work on a bill to address these issues and ensure full compliance. Senator Caryn Tyson praised the department for improvements in making information more accessible but highlighted the need for data on the return on investment of projects.
The Commerce Department defended itself, citing challenges in meeting the law’s requirements and arguing that auditors did not fully capture the agency’s efforts. They also cited difficulties in gathering consistent data on incentive benchmarks. Despite these challenges, the department remained committed to transparency and continued to improve the database.
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Photo credit kansasreflector.com
