Sure, The Star has a story about a feud between the House Minority Leader Mike Talboy and newly elected state Auditor Tom Schweich and a letter that was filed today heating up the battle.
BUT HERE @ TKC WE'VE GOT THE FEISTY LETTER IN IT'S ENTIRETY SO WE CAN ALL READ KANSAS CITY'S STATE REP SMACKING DOWN TOM SCHWEICH FOR EXPANDING HIS AUDITOR'S OFFICE AMID ONGOING BUDGET CUTS!!!
Check it:
The Honorable Thomas Schweich
State Auditor
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Dear Auditor Schweich,
The leadership of the House Minority Caucus is in the process of evaluating your proposed legislation that purports to expand the authority of the State Auditor’s Office to conduct a comparative audit of state agencies. We have some questions regarding those measures, House Bill 657 and Senate Bill 323, and would appreciate your input.
Based on the information we have, it appears you already possess general authority under existing law to conduct the comparative audit you propose. In fact, the State Auditor’s Office has conducted at least 18 audits of this type since 2000. As a result, we are concerned that House Bill 657 and Senate Bill 323 are unnecessary to achieving your stated goal.
Another concern is the cost of the legislation, which you estimated would require a $300,000 increase in your office’s budget for the 2012 fiscal. As you are aware, however, the House Appropriations-General Administration Committee recently voted to decrease general revenue funding for your office by nearly $326,000, or 5 percent, for FY 2012. Not only is that cut likely to stand as the budget process progresses, House Budget Chairman Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, has made it absolutely clear that no requests for funding increases will be honored.
In addition, since taking office in January you have created four new administrative positions in your office to increase the total payroll for your political staff by more than $260,000 a year compared to your predecessor – a staffing level you will be unable to maintain for FY 2012. This fact could cause some to question whether the legislation you seek is actually just an attempt to justify your office being spared from funding cuts so that you may retain the new, highly paid political staff positions that didn’t exist under your predecessor.
Given the situation, we question the wisdom of enacting legislation that is both unnecessary to achieving your stated goal and that would necessitate a funding increase for your office that there is little chance will be provided.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter so that we may make a recommendation concerning the proposed legislation to members of our caucus.
Sincerely,
House Minority Leader Mike Talboy
##########
Is this the same Talboy that led the dims to victory in 2010?
ReplyDeleteI think that was Jay Nixon who led the Dems to embarrassment in 2010.
ReplyDeleteGood for Mike. This is yet another silly political game. It's called... Get paid and pay yo boys.
ReplyDeleteI expect no less from Schweich, a former Bush administration something, than expanding the size of government beyond what's necessary and trying to spend a bunch of money. Good for Talboy. I like his conservative streak even if it's just partisan posturing.
ReplyDeleteTalboy has lost even more hair--
ReplyDeleteThis is INSIDER insider baseball.
ReplyDeleteNo one could care less about some state rep strutting his stuff about nothing.
NEXT!
Talboy is corrupt, but props to him for calling out that clown.
ReplyDeleteIf Talboy audited what goes on in his own district, we wouldn't have a State Auditor who scares him.
ReplyDeleteTalboy is only doing what he's told. He doesn't know what's going on inside his own district so long as he gets paid.
ReplyDeleteTalboy is mad that his colleague, Susan Montee was voted out of the State Auditor's seat. Talboy works for the Montee Law Firm.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Mike Talboy live in Kansas? He should move to Missouri. Hell, he should move all the way to his district.
ReplyDelete