Rob Wotton’s Five Point Plan to Increase Public Trust in King County’s Fiscal Governance

September 23, 2025

A recent audit of King County’s youth diversion programs has revealed disturbing lapses in oversight and management—potential fraud, payments to unapproved subcontractors, altered invoices, insufficient tracking, and contracts handled with little accountability. What was once $22 million in grant funding in 2019–2020 ballooned to over $1.5 billion by 2023–24, yet many of the governance structures failed to keep pace. The public deserves better. That’s why I’m proposing a five-point plan to restore trust, tighten controls, and ensure taxpayer dollars are used transparently and effectively.

Here’s what that plan looks like:

Strengthen Contract Standards and Orientation
Mandatory orientations for agencies and boards before contracts begin, covering reporting expectations, internal controls, and fiduciary responsibilities. Emphasis on Conflict of Interest and annual compliance by the partner agencies.
Standardize and Enforce Financial Reporting
Require uniform financial templates and consistent board-level review. Monthly and quarterly reporting must be timely and enforced.
Improve Internal Controls and Risk Monitoring
Ensure separation of duties in financial processes of the contract agencies. High-risk expenses like travel, credit cards, and gift cards should trigger automatic review. Gift cards will be disallowed due to lack of tracking; a system like Washington State’s Quest card should be considered.
Expand Audit Coverage and Oversight
This Council must insist that every partner agency of significance should be audited at least once every three years using the existing five-member audit team. Smaller awardees will have simplified reporting requirements. Agencies receiving over $75,000 in public funds must undergo annual board-supervised audits paid for by the grantee.
Establish Corrective and Protective Mechanisms
Deficiencies must prompt clear remediation plans and timelines, with contract termination as a last resort. An anonymous fraud tip line should be created.