Two leaders, BART Inspector General (IG) Harriet Nelson and Senator Steve Glazer, have recently resigned from their positions with the transit organization citing problems with fiscal oversight and claims of underfunding at the Inspector General’s office.
Following the very public resignations, the BART Board has now announced a proposal to add $1.7 million to the office’s budget — the same amount the IG asked for a year ago, which the Board then denied.
The BART governing board has also unanimously agreed to support legislation authored by Glazer in February, Senate Bill 827, which would give the IG authority to access documents, records, accounts, reports and communication as it relates to BART or third-party contractors.
It is generally positive news that the IG’s office is receiving a significant infusion of funds to support its oversight and investigative functions. With additional resources, the office will be better equipped to identify and address issues of waste, fraud and abuse within the BART agency.
In addition, the increased funding may also allow the IG’s office to conduct more thorough and comprehensive reviews of agency operations, policies and procedures. This could, and should, lead to changes and improvements in the way the agency operates, which could ultimately benefit the public.
However, it is important to note that the effectiveness of the IG’s office ultimately depends upon the independence and integrity of its leadership and staff. Simply providing more funding does not guarantee the success of the office. It is critical that the IG remains free from political influence and that its staff is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.
It is unfortunate that the potential changes are coming only after the resignations of Nelson and Glazer, but hopefully the proper oversight will be implemented, and the new IG will be allowed to do their job. The Independent will continue to watch with interest.