YELLOW SHEET Office of the State Auditor of Missouri Claire McCaskill

Report No. 2000-97
September 25, 2000

More than 5,000 women and children were turned away from full domestic violence shelters in 1998, even though millions of dollars in additional funding could have been available to help these victims. 

This audit report details the State Auditor’s Office assessment of state laws relating to collecting and distributing fees to fund Missouri’s domestic violence shelters as well as a tax credit program designed to increase donations to shelters.  We determined that while the intent of the laws was good, they did not maximize the state’s ability to protect these victims because some fees are optional and not authorized by many local governments, some optional fees were authorized by local governments yet not collected, some fees were placed in wrong accounts or remained idle in accounts, and the tax credit program was underutilized.

According to state law, a county may collect up to four different fees to help fund shelters. These fees include a mandatory fee on marriage licenses and three optional fees on criminal cases, civil cases and marriage licenses (in addition to the mandatory fee).  But more than half of Missouri’s counties chose to not impose any of these optional fees. Under current law these fees could generate an estimated additional $902,000 for shelters. (See page 5)

We found some counties deposited money in the wrong accounts or had passed laws to collect fees, but never did.  Other counties held collected money year after year and never disbursed it.  Nearly $500,000 sat idle in accounts statewide, including one city that held more than $300,000 even though local shelters reported turning away at least 1,300 victims. (See page 8)

Shelters also could have benefited more from a state tax credit program, which gives tax credits to businesses or citizens who donate to shelters.  The program offers up to $2 million annually in tax credits and is designed to generate up to $4 million yearly in donations to shelters.  Our review showed that this 3-year-old program is underutilized with only $1.5 million donated out of a possible $12 million. (See page 6)

We concluded that domestic violence shelter funding from statutory fees and donations related to this tax credit program  would work better for the victims if: 

·          Applicable optional fees were adopted by all counties and cities,

·          A central collection and distribution point for the fees was established — preferably at a state agency that is already administering a grant program benefiting domestic violence shelters, 

·          The tax credit program was better publicized to encourage donations and contributions, and 

·          Local governments collected the fees they were supposed to collect. 

The most critical change needed in the law  is the establishment of a centralized collection and distribution system for all statutory domestic violence fees.  Without this change, local governments will continue to horde funds under the guise of possibly building a future shelter at the expense of helping victims in need now.

Complete Audit Report