Today we talked with the Auditor of MN and found out what her job entails, more about the forecasted state budget and about asset forfeiture reform.
Description of the Office of the State Auditor Office: The Office of the State Auditor is a constitutional office that is charged with overseeing nearly $40 billion spent annually by local governments in Minnesota. The Office of the State Auditor does this by performing audits of local government financial statements and by reviewing documents, data, reports and complaints reported to the Office. The financial information collected from local governments is analyzed and serves as the basis of statutory reports issued by the Office of the State Auditor. Mission Statement: The mission of the Office of the State Auditor is to oversee local government finances for Minnesota taxpayers by helping to ensure financial integrity and accountability in local governmental financial activities. Through financial, compliance, and special audits, the State Auditor oversees and ensures that local government funds are used for the purposes intended by law and that local governments hold themselves to the highest standards of financial accountability. State Auditor: The State Auditor is an officer in the executive branch of the State of Minnesota and serves a four-year term. To serve as State Auditor, a person must be a qualified voter, at least 21 years of age, and elected by the people (Minnesota Constitution, Article V). The State Auditor serves on the State Executive Council, State Board of Investment, Land Exchange Board, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Public Employees Retirement Association, and Rural Finance Authority Board. Primary statutory citations regarding the State Auditor's office are in Chapter 6 of Minnesota Statutes. Julie Blaha is the current State Auditor. She was first elected in 2018. State Auditor Blaha is currently serving her first four-year term. Click here to see State Auditor Blaha's biography. Click here to see a history of the Office and information on previous State Auditors. Responsibilities: The State Auditor has oversight responsibility for all units of local government, including: counties, cities and townships school districts fire relief association pension funds housing and redevelopment authorities port authorities soil and water conservation districts approximately 150 other special districts
