Otto: Challenges remain for auditor

State auditor Rebecca Otto is seeking a second term to help make Minnesota a national leader again in accountability, efficiency and transparency.

Otto, who was elected in 2006 after defeating former state auditor Pat Anderson, who also is running for state auditor in November's election, made a campaign stop Monday in Brainerd and said she has loved her first term as the state auditor. Otto said she is seeking another term because there is still much work to be done.

Otto, who lives in May Township located northeast of the Twin Cities metro area and has a cabin in Fifty Lakes, said she accomplished many things in her first term and her proudest moment was winning the nonpartisan National State Auditors Association's Excellence in Accountability Award in 2009.

"Local government budgets are tight and energy costs are one way where our schools, cities and counties can save money," said Otto. "These savings can go to areas where we spend a lot of money in public safety and our roads and bridges."

Otto also was elected to NSAA's Executive Committee. Otto said being on the committee will help her continue her work to lead the state in national efforts that look for cost-effective efficiencies at all levels of government to meet future needs more effectively.

Otto said when she ran for election four years ago she said all schools, cities, counties and state officials need to listen to each other's issues and concerns because if they don't they won't meet their future goals.

"I still believe this is true," said Otto.

Otto has worked on several collaboratives already in her first four-year term. Otto is part of the Collaborative Governance Council where cities, counties and the three major unions who represent government employees merged to look at ways to increase government innovation and collaboration at all levels to help with the budget challenges. Otto said the council reviewed many different services and looked at how the entities can work together to deliver the services more efficiently.

The state auditor also chaired the Volunteer Fire Relief Association Working Group where she brought people from across the state to help work on firefighters statutes that were not updated since the 1970s. Otto said the group updates the laws every year and the legislature has passed them three years in a row.

Otto also is working on another collaboration where the state will provide performance benchmarks to cities and counties to make sure the state will continue to work on being a national lead state.

Otto said the state auditor's office of about 110 staff oversees the more than $20 billion budget. Otto said the cuts to Local government Aid is a major concern for her.

Otto said the race should be clear on who to vote for this November for state auditor. Otto said Anderson made hundreds of millions dollars in financial errors. Otto said she also conducted three times more investigations than Anderson did in her term.

In a telephone interview, Anderson refuted Otto's accusations, calling them dishonest and disingenuous. Anderson said the financial errors Otto discusses is a self-reported study conducted by staff in the auditor's office in 2006. Anderson said the auditor's staff conducts the reports every year and that the same staff did the reports under Otto's term.

Anderson said for Otto to say she conducted three times more investigations than her is false.

"That is not true and I'm not sure where she came up with that," said Anderson.

JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.