In the April 10, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Joel Deese writes in a letter:
Brian Wanty’s letter reached a false conclusion (“Auditors not seen as significant,” April 5). First, he neglected to cite any of the hard evidence, from numerous cities, that auditing improves local government administration. Secondly, quoting two studies of government management practices, he stated several practices were superior to performance auditing because “neither of these recent overviews found performance auditing effective enough to warrant a mention.” Performance auditing is not a part of management, so we shouldn’t assume the researchers even considered it.
Audit recommendations push management to improve services and be more efficient and transparent. The financial impact of audit work frequently saves up to $4 to $5 for every dollar invested, based on the national Association of Accredited Government Auditors. This evidence shows that the city of Eugene would clearly benefit from having an independent elected auditor’s office.
Of the two measures on the ballot, the independent elected auditor offers the most effective scope, including a required whistleblower hotline, which is the single most effective way to identify fraud and waste — leading to cost recovery and savings.
That’s why I’ll vote yes on Ballot Measure 20-283 for an independent elected auditor. And no on the city’s Measure 20-287.