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State Budget Committee examines IN Dept of Revenue

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.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.