Auditor’s staff works longer hours in wake of budget cuts

State Auditor Richard Johnson has ordered his staff to start working 48-hour weeks as his office wades through the accounting records on about 10-million dollars worth of state spending. Johnson has 110 people on his payroll, many of whom are C-P-As. He says they normally have 10-percent more people on staff.Every year at this time, the Auditor’s office starts writing what’s called a “comprehensive financial report” that details how tax dollars have been spent.Johnson says the report’s critical to the state’s ability to borrow money. The state borrows money for the student loan program, as well as housing programs, and Johnson says bond rating agencies look over the state’s financial records to determine how credit-worthy the state is, and that “comprehensive financial report” can determine what interest is charged. Despite having fewer staff members, Johnson expects to get the report done by the deadline, which is early December. Johnson says the big picture is pretty big.Johnson says total state spending for the just-concluded fiscal year was about 10-million dollars when you take into account all the special funds and federal spending which the state handed out.