Lack Of Rules Doesn't Stop State Credit Card Abuse

Saturday, October 14th 2006, 6:59 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The widespread misuse of state credit cards reported by state auditors during the past week happened despite numerous regulations about the use of such cards.

The Oklahoma Department of Central Services has 33 pages of rules, forms and procedures that state employees are supposed to abide by when they use state credit cards.

Department spokeswoman Gerry Smedley says that controls for the program are in place. She says the problem is getting employees familiar with the procedures so they don't make mistakes.

Training is supposed to be required before a state credit card is obtained by an employee, but audits revealed that basic rules designed to prevent abuse haven't been followed.

Smedley says that despite the problems indicated by the audit, state agencies strongly prefer keeping the state credit card program in place.

She says it is less expensive than the purchase-order system formerly used by the state.