Correspondence to Vermont State Auditor Douglas Hoffer

Vermont State Auditor Douglas R. Hoffer released an audit of the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program on April 9, 2026, according to reporting by Vermont Business Magazine.

The release of this report is part of a broader effort by the State Auditor’s Office to evaluate how the state government responds to complaints from citizens. This initiative includes a series of four audits specifically focused on government responsiveness.

A previous report in this series examined the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation’s handling of consumer insurance complaints. That specific audit was the third of the four planned evaluations and assessed whether the department investigated complaints within expected timeframes.

Role of the State Auditor’s Office

The Office of the Vermont State Auditor is responsible for three primary types of audits to ensure state accountability to citizens from both service delivery and financial perspectives:

• Performance audits, which examine the effectiveness and efficiency of government programs and operations.
• The state’s financial statement audit, known as the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
• The state’s single audit, which monitors the usage of federal funds by the state.

Regarding performance audits, Auditor Hoffer has stated that these audits provide valuable insight into whether government programs and operations are working effectively and efficiently and provide recommendations for improvements.

Auditing Standards and Quality Control

The State Auditor’s Office performs its work in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. These standards are promulgated by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The implementation of these standards is intended to ensure that audit products maintain high quality and adhere to the core principles of integrity, competence, objectivity, and independence.