Chris Dock: 2018 Election Guide
Welcome to WCCO.com's 2018 political guide!
We reached out to all Minnesota candidates running for U.S Senate, Governor, U.S Congress, Attorney General, Secretary of State and State Auditor this fall. Candidates were asked to provide a two-minute video discussing their platform as well as answer a set of our viewer's questions.
Above is the video and below are the answers Chris Dock provided. This is not a paid advertisement nor does WCCO endorse any candidate.
Responses from Chris Dock, Libertarian candidate for State Auditor:
What is your most important responsibility as State Auditor?
As State Auditor, my most important responsibility would be to provide fiduciary oversight of government operations on behalf of the taxpayers of Minnesota. The office of State Auditor does not work for the government, it works for the people. As a Libertarian, I am in the unique position to be a truly independent auditor who isn't affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican party. Since those two parties control the government offices under the jurisdiction of the State Auditor, I would be able to provide the highest level of independence and impartiality. The State Auditor reviews $20 billion in annual spending, and it would be my responsibility to ensure the taxpayers receive the maximum value for their investment.
In recent years, the Legislature changed Minnesota law to allow counties to use independent auditors for fiscal reviews instead of the State Auditor's office. Does this weaken the Auditor's office, and should the law be reviewed?
I completely support the usage of independent auditors whenever that provides a more thorough and cost-effective option in comparison to the State Auditor's office. Increasing options and competition creates the opportunity for higher quality and lower cost services to be available in the marketplace. Keeping the audit function as a monopoly of the State Auditor can only reduce quality and efficiency. Mandating that local governments utilize the State Auditor's office is merely an attempt to keep control and power centralized within the government, with no incentive to improve services or reduce costs.
How active should a State Auditor be investigating local governments beyond annual fiscal reviews?
The annual fiscal reviews represent the most basic function of the office of State Auditor; the taxpayers of Minnesota should expect more than that. As State Auditor, I would do everything within my authority to aggressively review and analyze all levels of municipal spending to identify areas of waste and inefficiency. With $20 billion in annual spending under review, identifying a modest 10% in potential spending reductions would correlate to a $2 billion savings to the taxpayers of Minnesota.
