Latest news with #StateAuditor
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Rob Sand, Iowa's Only Democrat in Statewide Office, to Run for Governor
Rob Sand, Iowa's elected state auditor and the only Democrat now holding a major political office in the state, said on Monday that he would run for governor next year, boosting his party's hopes of gaining a policymaking foothold in a place that Republicans dominate. Mr. Sand has won two statewide elections, but to become governor he would need to overcome a decade of political trends favoring Republicans. Since President Trump became the leader of the party, Iowa Republicans have amassed large legislative majorities and won all six seats in the state's congressional delegation. The incumbent governor, Kim Reynolds, a Republican, said last month that she would not seek re-election to a third full term, setting up an open Republican primary that could attract several prominent conservatives. Iowa is expected to be one of several Midwest states with closely contested governor's races next year. Republicans are hoping to capture governorships now held by Democrats in Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mr. Sand has been a highly visible state auditor, examining state agencies and at times clashing with Ms. Reynolds. He has also worked to build a personal political brand that is distinct from his party. In his announcement video, posted to social media on Monday, he described his background as an auditor and prosecutor without once mentioning that he is a Democrat. 'I'm doing it because we need more public service and less politics,' Mr. Sand said in the video about his run for governor. 'A lot of politicians yap about making a place redder or bluer. I want Iowa to be better and truer.' Iowa was once a swing state. Former President Barack Obama carried the state twice, and the Democrats had a majority in the State Senate until the 2016 election. Under Ms. Reynolds, however, the state government has moved in a sharply conservative direction. Lawmakers have passed restrictions in recent years on abortion, transgender people and school library books, and have limited the power of Mr. Sand's office as auditor. So far, voters have rewarded the Republicans. Mr. Trump carried the state in each of the last three presidential elections, including by a 13-point margin in 2024. Over that time, Mr. Sand has become a political outlier. Two other Democrats in statewide office, the treasurer and attorney general, lost their seats by narrow margins in the 2022 election. Mr. Sand won re-election that year by about 3,000 votes out of about 1.2 million cast.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State Auditor releases report on Cleveland County Sheriff's Office budget
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) — On Thursday, the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector released a special report detailing the findings from their audit of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office after county commissioners accused the sheriff of mismanaging funds. Back in June 2024, Cleveland County Commissioners unanimously approved a transfer of funds to a 'taxpayer assisted bailout fund' to cover over $3 million in overspending by Sheriff Chris Amason. The CCSO then suddenly announced layoffs in September, losing 25 staff members as well as five open staff positions. The county later released payroll numbers from April 2020 to 2024, revealing an overall pay increase in many departments as well as an increase in staffing from an average 181 employees in 2020 to 223 employees in 2024. Sheriff's budget battle in Cleveland County gets heated These are some of the most notable findings in the special audit report released by State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd on Thursday: Failure to stay within budget and not properly ensuring funds are available for expenditures before making purchases for at least 41 expenditures totaling nearly $130,000 Improper controls over travel expenses, which include costs for 24 out-of-state training conferences in Fiscal Year 2024 totaling over $33,000 Turnover in administrative staff responsible for properly documenting financial matters The full audit report can be found here. Amason posted the following statement on social media on Thursday afternoon following the release of the audit report. This is not about numbers—it's about priorities. The repeated underfunding of the Sheriff's Office is not accidental. It reflects a pattern of strategic neglect disguised as budget management. While others played politics with public safety, this office continued doing the work the public expects and deserves. My office has always welcomed transparency. What we won't tolerate is being targeted through bureaucratic sleight of hand while the community's safety and the livelihoods of dedicated employees are placed at risk. The public deserves to know the truth—and I'm here to ensure they do. Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason A Cleveland County spokesperson sent a release to News 4 saying the Cleveland County Budget Board is expected to determine next steps in the coming days after they review the audit. Late Thursday, the District Attorney's office for Cleveland County said it is reviewing the State Auditor's Special Audit Report and its findings. The review is underway, and once that is complete, a decision will be made on how to proceed. PR-Audit-1Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State audit: Cleveland County Sheriff's Office overspent by millions
NORMAN — The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office overspent its annual budget by about $4 million, a report from the state auditor has revealed. The long-awaited report, the second part of a special audit requested last year into Sheriff Chris Amason's office, shows that the law enforcement agency did not take steps to stay within the limits of the approved $18.4 million budget, according to the audit. The audit also showed that during the course of a year, sheriff's leadership attended 24 out-of-state training conferences, bought or leased 40 new vehicles, gave retroactive raises to 28 employees, and used taxpayer funds on "high-end meals, games, and DoorDash service," according to the report. This was despite payroll challenges and cuts to detention staff by 45%, as detailed in the audit. "The goal of the State Auditor and Inspector is to promote accountability and fiscal integrity in state and localgovernment," said State Auditor Cindy Byrd in a letter to Cleveland County commissioners the day the audit was released. "Maintaining our independence as we provide this service to the taxpayers of Oklahoma is ofutmost importance. We wish to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the assistance and cooperation extended to our office during this engagement." In a news release, Storme Jones, director of communications for Cleveland County, said that budget board members would carefully review the report and determine what steps to take next in the coming days. Amason, in a statement posted to his office's Facebook page, said he appreciated Byrd's work "in producing a thorough and well-documented report" that he believes "affirms what we've long maintained — facts matter." "This balanced assessment brings needed clarity and allows us to close the door on speculation," Amason continued. "We welcome oversight from the State Auditor, because we stand on solid ground. Transparency isn't a challenge to this office — it's a standard we live by. The findings offer valuable clarity about the circumstances and decisions made, and I welcome the opportunity this report provides to reinforce public trust and move forward with purpose." The audit comes after nearly two years of tension between county commissioners and the sheriff, who publicly disagreed on who was to blame for overspending after commissioners diverted $3.2 million to the sheriff's office in June 2024 in order to pay outstanding bills, payroll and other operational expenses. (This story has been updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cleveland County OK sheriff overspent budget by $4 million, audit finds
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lambert flips to support HB2 after changes to voucher program
BIG COUNTRY, Texas () – HB2 and SB2 — two bills that sparked concern among many lawmakers, particularly from rural areas, over the potential harm of vouchers to Texas public education. But on April 16, Representative Stan Lambert voted in favor of both bills. Now he's explaining why. WATCH: Gov. Abbott says Big Country will benefit from school vouchers, other legislative priorities House Bill 2 would mark the largest increase in public education funding in Texas history, delivering a $7.7 billion investment. Lambert said the bill includes $1 billion specifically for rural and mid-size school districts, raises teacher salaries, and helps ease the burden on local taxpayers. 'Altogether, this is a major victory for public education, and one I'm proud to have supported,' Lambert shared in a statement. Big Country Politics: Rep. Stan Lambert discusses hot topics in Texas, including school vouchers & healthcare monopolies Though he still has concerns about the Education Savings Account portion of the bill, Lambert said he and a group of rural Republicans worked to negotiate key changes. 'Instead of allowing the bill to pass as presented, the same group of rural republicans who stood firm against vouchers in 2023 chose to negotiate substantive changes to improve the bill. This decision was made solely based on what I could do, as one member of a 150-person body, to best improve outcomes for Texas children,' Lambert explained. Rep. Stan Lambert discusses election integrity, school vouchers & future goals for West Texas Lambert highlighted four specific provisions that Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley agreed to include: Annual audits of the voucher program and all third-party contractors by the State Auditor Clear residency requirements to prevent misuse by non-Texas residents A rule that private schools receiving funds must have operated for at least two years A cap that limits non-low-income and non-special-needs recipients to 20% of the program WATCH: KRBC'S Exploring School Choice in Texas Special Lambert, who had been a strong opponent of the voucher-style program, emphasized that his decision wasn't made lightly. 'Education has always been a top priority of mine, and I remain committed to fighting for our education system. If I were to stand by and simply vote no on a bill that was sure to pass, while an opportunity to improve the bill lies before me, I would be doing a disservice to those I represent,' Lambert shared. 'I understand if you're disappointed by this vote; it was not an easy one to make. But be assured that the bill that was passed is greatly improved from the bill that was coming, and that our public schools are better protected because we stayed at the table. I will never stop working to ensure that public school students and teachers have the resources they need to succeed.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These 10 municipal liquor operations had the best sales in 2023
Municipal liquor stores in Minnesota had another big year in 2023, according to the newly issued State Auditor's annual review. The state's municipal liquor stores had a collective net profit of $31.6 million, a 15.3% increase from the prior year. However, that's down slightly from pandemic-era highs, which peaked at $36 million in 2020. In total, 176 cities had municipal liquor stores in 2023, 85 of which operate both on- and off-sale establishments. Between those towns, the state has 210 stores that are included in the report. In 2023, liquor stores saw a decline in beer and wine sales, but benefited from the legalization and proliferation of THC drinks. ""This report marks the onset of a shift in consumer preferences – beer and wine sales began to decline, while spirit sales remained steady. Meanwhile, THC beverage and edible sales were beginning to grow significantly, resulting in increased operational profitability,' said Paul Kaspszak, Executive Director of Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association. Profits from municipal liquor stores are used to reduce property tax levies and purchase city equipment like police cars, fire trucks, and other expenditures. So, which cities had the most sales? It varies based on whether you're looking at total sales or net profit. Here are the top 10, measured both ways. Lakeville — $22,692,555 Richfield — $13,935,832 Edina — $13,330,018 Eden Prairie — $12,069,015 Apple Valley — $10,782,386 Detroit Lakes — $9,035,828 Columbia Heights — $9,054,922 Bemidji — $8,437,168 Alexandria — $8,098,739 Elk River — $7,978,894 All the cities in the top 10 exclusively operate off-sale establishments. The highest ranked city that offers both was Wayzata, which ranked 15th with sales of $7,123,087. Spring Grove (net profit $91,223, sales of $193,917)* Lake Park: 24.1% (net profit $254,644, sales of $1,058,765) Ogema: 19.9% (net profit $87,707, sales of $440,079) Hadley: 17.8% (net profit $54,172, sales of $303,856) Princeton: 17.3% (net profit $1,000,044, sales of $5,784,215) Fergus Falls: 16.7% (net profit $1,252,562, sales of $7,487,100) Mapleton: 16.1% (net profit $103,934, sales of $644,287) Marshall: 15.7% (net profit $1,158,807, sales of $7,376,044) Fairmont: 15.5% (net profit $734,166, sales of $4,738,143) Perham: 15.5% (net profit $701,471, sales of $4,514,485) Spring Grove is an outlier, as the city was required to have a public hearing in 2023 and closed their liquor store operation mid-year.
