(Area News) – State Auditor Rob Sand, Wednesday, visited Council Bluffs, Missouri Valley, Harlan, and Audubon as part of his 100-town hall tour. Auditor Sand took questions from Iowans on various topics, including Senate File 478. The bill would, in many instances, eliminate checks and balances by limiting the Auditor’s access to the courts. Speaking in Missouri Valley, Sand said “This is the single most pro-corruption bill in Iowa history. It lets insiders protect insiders and limits the ability of the taxpayers’ watchdog to obtain information necessary to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.”

A group of bipartisan accounting and oversight professionals is also on the record opposing Senate File 478. Their concerns include the threat to the Auditor’s ability to independently oversee the use of federal funds coming into Iowa. Auditor Sand also discussed the new school voucher system that takes money away from public schools to pay for private school tuition. Sand pointed out the new law allows private schools to do anything they want with the tax dollars they receive from the state—except provide a refund.

In Audubon, Sand said “If they want to take a European vacation with your tax dollars after they are paid as tuition, it’s totally legal—no requirement the money be spent on actual education. Public schools have public records, public meetings, and an annual audit,” Sand said, noting the lack of transparency for private schools under the new law. “None of which will apply to private schools—even for the parents of the kids who go there.” (Click to enlarge the photos below)

Missouri Valley Town Hall

Council Bluffs stop

Harlan Town Hall

Audubon stop

Sand discussed his decision to vote against using taxpayer dollars to settle two public records suits last week as a member of the State Appeal Board. Sand was the lone vote against funding the settlements, totaling $175,000, reached by the Attorney General’s office on behalf of the Governor. Sand noted that Iowa law requires public officials who fail to respond to public records requests as required by law to be held accountable in the form of fines and attorneys’ fees. “The Iowa Supreme Court, with all justices appointed by Republican governors, ruled unanimously that Governor Reynolds’ arguments in these cases held no water,” said Sand. “This is a brazen scam by those whose salaries are paid by taxpayers, to skirt a law requiring their own personal responsibility for the fees and fines for hiding public records and using taxpayer funds instead.”

Sand also touted his Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program. It encourages local governments and school districts to come up with creative ways to save tax dollars. PIE has been so successful, Democratic and Republican auditors in other states are copying it. “It helps our office to hear from Iowans and helps Iowans to hear from someone who is willing to go after insiders’ corruption and waste in Iowa’s governments,” said Auditor Sand in response to the town hall meetings across the state. “I’m proud to continue that work in all of Iowa’s 99 counties.”