Discussing the Merits of a Municipal Auditor General:

 

 

In the Aug. 26 Coquitlam NOW, Shachi Kurl, director of provincial affairs, BC & Yukon, with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, made comments about a proposed municipal auditor general, including  this:  "It's a good time for you to be asking whether your local candidate supports greater fiscal scrutiny, transparency and accountability, an even better time for you to think about whether they really deserve your vote, if they don't."  In a letter forwarded to the Editor of The NOW, Robert Simons wrote:

 

"As a candidate for civic office in the November 19 election in Port Moody, I am in full agreement with Ms. Kurl on at least one point:  Voters should be asking candidates whether they support greater fiscal scrutiny, transparency and accountability in the handling of taxpayers’ funds. I do.   

I believe there is merit in the proposal to establish an Auditor General for municipalities in British Columbia and that Municipal governments should not be afraid of the idea. Independent reviews provide opportunities for leadership in both the private and public sector to find more effective ways to operate, and seek best value from planned expenditures. But I have to ask:  Is a time of fiscal restraint and economic challenge the time to incur the substantial cost of establishing such an office and, if so, who is to pay for it?  

Taxpayers have every right to expect and deserve effective management and transparency from their public institutions. They already pay for that in their local taxes.   And they should demand that local government – your Mayor and Council – openly demonstrate that all expenses and costs are being properly scrutinized as a daily part of doing civic business.  If that's achieved, a municipal auditor and the related costs should not really be necessary, however positive the idea.

Further, I believe that priorities at the Federal, Provincial and Municipal levels of government all place a demand on resources that come from the same taxpayers. An overall understanding of the taxpayers' expectations across the three levels of government needs to be established, and priorities set on what services are mandatory versus essential versus nice-to-have.  Just as businesses and families do with their own finances, governments need to collectively deal with a prioritization of expenditures and services within the taxpayers’ ability to pay.

I also believe the dialogue and cooperation between all levels of Government, and among neighbouring municipalities, needs to be broadened to identify areas where costs and resources can be shared for the benefit of all taxpayers."