In the grand scheme of things, it's rather petty, but maybe it's not.
State officials defend purchase of drinking water
FRAMINGHAM —
State officials Monday said the plethora of bottled water purchased by various agencies this year is allowed and justified.
"It is important for people to have drinking water," said Alex Zaroulis, spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Administration and Finance.
The Daily News on Dec. 7 reported the state has spent nearly $300,000 in the past five months on bottled water and water coolers, according to the online accounting website Open Checkbook.
Officials say the online accounting website, designed for greater governmental transparency, is often misleading and the site acknowledges its information is often incomplete.
Among departments that purchase the most bottled water are the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Correction, which Open Checkbook says has spent $22,000 this year on bottled water.
Those departments pay for the water using money from their general funds, as do the majority of agencies, according to Open Checkbook.
However, some water purchases come from accounts as obscure as the Department of Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement Trust Fund and the Mailed Voter Registration account.
Zaroulis and Administration and Finance Chief of Staff Brian Gosselin Monday said while some purchases may appear to come from accounts not intended to be spent on water, most trust funds and grants allow for part of their money to be used for administrative expenses, classified in the state’s budgeting system as "EE" purchases. Bottled water is "E15."
Gosselin said the comptroller’s office ensures EE purchases are properly classified.
"We look at it as an agency decision and we monitor this throughout the budget process to see if the spending is reasonable," Gosselin said.
Zaroulis said many offices, including her own, do not have running water except in the bathroom.
Secretary of State William Galvin’s office Monday said the $1,404 spent since July on bottled and filtered water was for workers at the John W. McCormack Building, near the State House.
"It’s water for the employees," said Brian McNiff of Galvin's office.
"It is important for people to have drinking water," said Alex Zaroulis, spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Administration and Finance.
The Daily News on Dec. 7 reported the state has spent nearly $300,000 in the past five months on bottled water and water coolers, according to the online accounting website Open Checkbook.
Officials say the online accounting website, designed for greater governmental transparency, is often misleading and the site acknowledges its information is often incomplete.
Among departments that purchase the most bottled water are the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Correction, which Open Checkbook says has spent $22,000 this year on bottled water.
Those departments pay for the water using money from their general funds, as do the majority of agencies, according to Open Checkbook.
However, some water purchases come from accounts as obscure as the Department of Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement Trust Fund and the Mailed Voter Registration account.
Zaroulis and Administration and Finance Chief of Staff Brian Gosselin Monday said while some purchases may appear to come from accounts not intended to be spent on water, most trust funds and grants allow for part of their money to be used for administrative expenses, classified in the state’s budgeting system as "EE" purchases. Bottled water is "E15."
Gosselin said the comptroller’s office ensures EE purchases are properly classified.
"We look at it as an agency decision and we monitor this throughout the budget process to see if the spending is reasonable," Gosselin said.
Zaroulis said many offices, including her own, do not have running water except in the bathroom.
Secretary of State William Galvin’s office Monday said the $1,404 spent since July on bottled and filtered water was for workers at the John W. McCormack Building, near the State House.
"It’s water for the employees," said Brian McNiff of Galvin's office.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x65613193/State-officials-defend-purchase-of-drinking-water#ixzz2ElAFYmeN
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