Given the turmoil of the past four years in the state auditor’s office, a calm and steady hand is necessary to lead the department at this time. Because of that, The Columbian’s Editorial Board recommends a vote for Democrat Pat McCarthy in her race against Republican Mark Miloscia.
As always, this is merely a recommendation. The Columbian has faith in the willingness and ability of voters to examine the candidates and the issues before casting an informed ballot.
That probably will result in more attention than voters typically afford this race; auditor is a position that draws little attention when things are running smoothly — as they did for 20 years under Brian Sonntag. But following Sonntag’s retirement and the election of Troy Kelley, the office drew unwanted scrutiny. Kelley faced federal charges related to a business he ran prior to taking office, and a trial resulted in an acquittal on one charge and a hung jury on 14 others — charges that might be retried.
McCarthy has the experience and the demeanor necessary for restoring public confidence in an office that serves as a watchdog on behalf of taxpayers. She currently is the Pierce County executive, overseeing governmental operations, and previously served as county auditor. Most important, she speaks convincingly of a desire to engage agencies throughout the state in re-establishing the auditor’s office as a trusted overseer.
The state auditor’s department examines government agencies from the local level to the state level to ensure that best practices are being employed in the stewardship of taxpayer money. Unlike county auditor offices, it does not oversee elections, which are the purview of the secretary of state’s office. Instead, the auditor focuses upon rooting out fraud and malfeasance in public expenditures.
Miloscia, who is in his first term as a Republican state senator after 14 years as a Democratic state representative, is passionate about using the office to expand performance audits and improve business practices in governments across the state. “Everyone will know which agencies have the best practices,” he says, and he has advocated the use of performance audits to assess, for example, the effectiveness of efforts to combat homelessness.
McCarthy notes that financial audits are the primary duty of the auditor’s office and that performance audits occur infrequently by comparison. She adds that the imposition of performance audits will lead to conflict with government agencies at the local level and do little to ensure that recommendations are actually implemented.
In expressing such reservations, McCarthy presents a measured demeanor that represents strong leadership. She has managed a Pierce County government that has more than 3,000 employees and a budget of about $300 million a year, and she has earned accolades both in her previous role as county auditor and her current one as county executive.
Miloscia, in contrast, embraces a more confrontational approach, which was reflected earlier this year when he labeled the entire auditor’s office as a “laughingstock” in the wake of Kelley’s legal troubles. While Miloscia deserves credit for a crusade to reduce waste in public spending, his approach is less likely to galvanize the office or induce cooperation from governments throughout the state at a time when those things are vitally important.
Pat McCarthy is the best fit for the role of state auditor. The Columbian recommends that voters support her.
