Auditor McCaskill predicts more influence for audits

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Entering her second term as state auditor, Democrat Claire McCaskill predicted Monday that audits of state agencies would have more influence as lawmakers seek to eliminate wasteful spending in light of Missouri's budget troubles.

"I think people have more of an urgency to actually pay attention to our audits because they are going to have to make cuts," said McCaskill, who won re-election in November over Republican Al Hanson. "We have a better shot of getting our audits read and our findings implemented when times are really tight."

McCaskill, a former state representative and Jackson County prosecutor, was administered the oath of office by Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Stephen Limbaugh during a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

She noted that since she took office four years ago, her staff of 150 has issued about 500 audits, many looking at the performance of state agencies.

Those audits have covered issues ranging from the cost of travel to failures in the state's enforcement of child support payments. McCaskill said when child support is not collected, Missourians depend on state subsidies, which are an unnecessary drain on the budget.

In the current legislative session, McCaskill said, she will press House and Senate budget writers to review her findings when they consider possible cuts in spending. Missouri faces an estimated $1 billion revenue shortfall for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

"We are not here to find good news, we are here to find bad news," McCaskill said, vowing nevertheless to spend the next few years looking for government success stories. "I don't think there have been any toes we have been afraid to tread on."

State audits can include recommendations for change but have no force of law and do not mandate action by state agencies. But McCaskill predicted the audits would have greater influence this year.

"This year, when they all are going to be trying to find ways to do more with less, we think it's really a good opportunity to force our audit findings on state government through the appropriations process," she said.

State agencies have already had their budgets cut several times in recent years and are expected to be held to higher performance standards by legislators this year, especially in the House.

Newly elected House Speaker Catherine Hanaway put agencies on notice last week that lawmakers will expect a full accounting of costs associated with operating state government.

Hanaway, who attended McCaskill's swearing-in, said the auditor has avoided partisanship during her tenure and has provided lawmakers with a map for potential cost-cutting measures.

"We're going to be looking at ideas on how to implement performance-based budgeting (based partly on) what she has found in terms of where savings can be realized," Hanaway said. "Her audits are a tool we will be employing."

While looking for waste elsewhere, McCaskill said she will lobby legislators to protect her office's roughly $9 million budget.

Reducing her office's resources would have an illogical result, she said: "We're going to be able to find fewer places where we can save money, so talk about the classic case of cutting off your nose to spite your face."

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On the Net:

State Auditor: http://www.auditor.state.mo.us