Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority's Use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds

This is a Massachusetts State Auditor report about Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority's use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from July 1, 2009 through January 31, 2011.

“In accordance with Chapter 11, Section 12, of the Massachusetts General Laws, we have conducted an audit of certain activities of the CCRTA for the period July 1, 2009 through January 31, 2011.”

The audit was done to see whether CCRTA had proper oversight of federal stimulus money and whether the money was spent for the purposes it was supposed to support.

“The objectives of our audit were to review CCRTA’s controls over and monitoring of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds received and expended.”

The report matters because CCRTA received nearly $7 million in federal stimulus funding, and taxpayers have an interest in whether that money was protected, tracked, and used properly.

“During our audit period, CCRTA was awarded federal stimulus funds that totaled $6,988,547 from the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Urbanized Area Formula Program.”

For Cape Cod residents and transit users, the money supported buses, paratransit vehicles, shelters, transportation center work, equipment, fare system upgrades, operating help, and jobs.

“In addition to grant–related jobs, the FTA-approved ARRA stimulus funds are to be used by CCRTA as follows:”

The auditors did not report problems in the areas they tested; they concluded CCRTA had adequate controls and complied with applicable requirements.

“Based on our review we have concluded that, for the period July 1, 2009 through January 31, 2011, CCRTA maintained adequate management controls and complied with applicable laws, rules, and regulations for the areas tested.”

The report does not describe enforcement actions or required fixes; it simply reports that the audit work found CCRTA in compliance for the tested areas.

“Based on our review we have concluded that, for the period July 1, 2009 through January 31, 2011, CCRTA maintained adequate management controls and complied with applicable laws, rules, and regulations for the areas tested.”

The audit is significant because it says millions in federal transit stimulus funds were reviewed, jobs were reported as created or saved, and the auditors found adequate controls for the areas tested.

“In summary, a total of 104 jobs were created or saved as of January 31, 2011.”

ARRA means federal stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; in this report, it refers to grant funds CCRTA received and spent for transit-related purposes.

“Also, we reviewed ARRA expenditures to determine if these funds were expended for their intended purposes.”