A small group of Sunshine Coast residents has launched a petition campaign calling on the province's auditor general for local government to conduct a performance audit of the regional district.
Calling themselves the Sunshine Coast Attentive Taxpayers (SCAT), the group numbers just under 10 active community members, said Gibsons-based business consultant Erich Schwartz, who launched the on-line petition.
"Fundamentally what the audit would tell us is, are we getting good value for our money?" Schwartz said. "I don't think the urgency needs to be blown out of proportion. This is just good practice. Open the kimono, see what's going on, and it'll be good for everybody."
The petition is aimed at auditor general Basia Ruta, who was appointed last year to conduct performance audits of local governments. It asks Ruta to make the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) a high priority for review due to "a number of financial inconsistencies and creative accounting that have led us to a sense of urgency in addressing how our tax dollars are being managed."
A major concern is the "apparent burgeoning and excessive growth" in SCRD expenses.
Asked to provide examples, Schwartz said SCAT members are concerned about solid waste contractors being paid different amounts for similar services, and in some cases higher amounts than in other regional districts; departments charging other departments for internal costs; and a budget process that's grown too convoluted and focuses on staff's "wish list" of new spending items.
"I'm not in any way saying anything negative about the politicians. I don't envy their jobs because they've become so difficult. But it shouldn't be that difficult," he said.
SCRD board chair Garry Nohr said he had "no problem being audited anytime" because of the effort and professionalism of the SCRD's finance staff.
"The regional district, as far as we're concerned, would be quite pleased to have the auditor general come up," Nohr said. "It means the awards we receive would be more respected."
For nine years straight, the SCRD has received the Canadian Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.
Differences in solid waste contracts, Nohr said, reflect differences in service levels provided, driving time and other factors.
An audit of the solid waste department, he added, "is one I would request myself," especially since the new Multi-Material B.C. recycling program has been approved. "Solid waste is an area where I would love to see the auditor general come in."
On the budget, Nohr said the board is always trying to streamline the process but also has to practise due diligence before approving expenditures.
Nohr said the administration has spent considerable time answering queries from some of the people now involved in the petition campaign, which he suspects could be politically motivated.
"It's just to me a group of people sitting on the sidelines not getting the answers that they want. They want to get something rotten, I think," he said.
In its letter, SCAT offers to provide the auditor general with "a significant amount of data" compiled by Coast residents during the past decade to serve as a starting point for the audit.
Schwartz said he expects the group will send its formal request to the auditor general in about two weeks, allowing time for the petition campaign to grow. As of Wednesday, there were about 30 supporters. The petition can be found at www.thepetitionsite.com/294/962/567/audit-the-scrd-now.
