Auditor candidates promise to probe missing money

SPRINGFIELD -- As the dust settles from Tuesday's razor-thin Republican primary, the Democratic candidate for auditor campaigned in Springfield Friday, signaling the start of the race to November.

Susan Montee easily won her primary election. The Republican nomination is still in doubt. Sandra Thomas received the most votes, but the margin between her and second place Jack Jackson was less than 2,000 votes. Jackson has asked for a recount.

Montee says she is not only an accountant, but an attorney as well. Montee says that analytical experience makes her more qualified to root out problems in places like the Springfield Municipal Court.

"I think part of it is identifying high risk areas and certainly courts are high risk areas," Montee said.

Springfield officials recently announced than more than $1 million of taxpayer money went missing from the Judicial system over several years.

"That is one of the areas I'd begin. You look here in Springfield - that's an area needs to be focused on," said Thomas.

Thomas is promising more follow-up to audits in the future. But the discovery of $195,000 missing in her home county is raising questions about her own accountability.

"There's not any money that's missing in Platte County. There was a problem with the bank reconciliation," Thomas explained.

Thomas blames the error on the treasurer for keeping it a secret.

But Montee says the auditor is ultimately accountable.

"In my county, I would've been accountable for this if it had happened," Montee said.

Montee is also raising the issue of independence and says Thomas is too close to Missouri Governor Matt Blunt.

"She has a lot of ties to this administration and she will be dependent on those ties to get elected, which means she could not be independent after she's elected," Montee said.

"If there's taxdollars being spent, we're going to audit it and make sure we eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, no matter who is out there," Thomas said.