In the wake of two separate mistakes that caused more than $500 million in tax dollars to be misplaced, Governor Mitch Daniels ordered an independent audit of the state Department of Revenue. At a meeting Monday, the state budget committee could make its recommendation as to who will conduct the audit.
Ten auditing firms submitted their interest to the state and a group of administration officials and legislators has been considering those companies over the last week. State Representative Jeff Espich (R-Uniondale) says the budget committee can now choose a firm to recommend to the governor. He says there are a number of factors he’s considering, including the size of the firm and any experience it has in governmental audits.
“Like to have one with an Indiana presence, if we could. One that had at least an office in Indiana.”
Espich chairs the panel. He doesn’t know how long it will be until the audit is complete.
“We want the audit to be, number one, as independent as it can be without flavor or being touched by the political process in order to give a greater degree of confidence. So, can’t really say how long.”
Espich says once the firm is chosen that company will provide regular updates to the state budget committee as the audit progresses.
