State Auditor Cutting Back On County Audits

The State Auditor says she can no longer afford to do some audits that many small Missouri counties count on. The State Auditor’s budget has been cut by $500,000. Something has to go, and what is going are the audits the State Auditor has been doing for small counties every two years. The audits look into how the counties use federal money. The federal government requires the counties get audits of those funds every couple of years. State law does not require the auditor to do tham. It’s been done as a courtesy, a practice started under Auditor Margaret Kelly. But, Auditor Claire McCaskill says her reduced resources are better spent on state agencies where big money is being spent. State law does require the state to audit county books every four years. She’ll do about 30 full-scope county audits this year and will finish the two-year audits of federal funds. But after they’re done, counties will have to hire private, outside auditors and county expense.