Transparency & Accountability

We need to know the local dollars paying for teachers, public works, and safety and fire departments will be there when we need them. As a Certified Management Accountant, Zack knows what it takes to hold people and organizations accountable. That starts with building staff capacity, relationships with local governments, and identifying new guardrails where needed.

Priorities:

• Reduce the turnover rate to provide more efficient audits and guidance. This includes working across the aisle to communicate the importance of this office in preventing fraud.

• Zack will expand oversight where needed to strengthen accountability in school districts and townships and address gaps in audit coverage. For example, this could include greater oversight of school district finances, similar to the use of School Finance Accountability Team funds established under the Minnesota Omnibus State Government Finance and Policy Bill. It could also include increased oversight of townships. Under the current combined city/town audit model, only about 20.2% of township revenues were audited based on reported 2023 revenues.

• Use authority of the State Auditor’s Office to decrease delinquency and increase compliance of local governments who repeatedly fail to meet reporting deadlines.

• Grow the Special Investigations capacity to respond effectively to reports of theft, misuse, or unlawful use of public funds.

The goal is simple: Give Minnesotans timely, reliable information and confidence that their money is protected.