Premier Christy Clark's announcement that a municipal auditor-general will be appointed is good news for taxpayers and it could be helpful to municipalities as well, should they choose to adopt a conciliatory approach.
When Clark suggested this new office, many mayors and councillors condemned it, stating that their expenditures were already audited. This is disingenuous.
Yes, their books are audited but a year-end audit by an accounting firm is far different from performance audits of specific programs. A municipal auditor-general authority should be able to follow up on issues it considers important as well as those raised by taxpayers.
Both provincial and federal auditors-general have performed many such valuable services and the small amount it costs to run their offices has been more than justified by the savings they have identified.
If municipalities accept the reports and advice from the new municipal auditor-general, it could go a long way towards improving their financial management. It will also help them to be more accountable to taxpayers.
A case could also be made for expanding the role of the municipal auditor general to include TransLink and Metro Vancouver. There is nothing wrong with independent oversight of government spending and these jurisdictions could each use an extra pair of eyes.
In the case of TransLink, a commissioner stands between the public and endless fare increases, but Martin Crilly doesn't have the power to look at the books - he just decides whether the argument for fare hikes is sound and the financial plan is credible.
Metro Vancouver is also in need of some extra scrutiny from an independent authority. The regional district, which has grown in size and responsibility over the years, has practically no oversight at all, unless you count the mayors and other directors who aren't directly elected and, therefore, not accountable for its spending. What's more, some are double dipping and accepting two days of pay for attending two meetings in a single day.
These are just some of the concerns that could be addressed if the auditor-general's mandate is expanded.
- with files from The Langley Times (Black Press)
