Abigail Moss Pledges Transparency and Independence in Bid for Iowa State Auditor

Abigail Moss is seeking the Republican nomination for Iowa State Auditor

Abigail Moss is seeking the Republican nomination for Iowa State Auditor, presenting herself as a work-focused, numbers-first candidate who wants the office to operate quietly, professionally, and without partisan drama. Moss has already begun introducing herself to voters as “Abby Moss, running for state auditor,” and positioning the job as one that protects taxpayer dollars rather than chases headlines.

In an interview with Oskaloosa News, Moss said her background includes serving as a county supervisor and mentoring other local officials on financial matters through the Iowa State Association of Counties. She said that experience has put her close to public budgets, local government operations, and the expectations taxpayers have for accountability.

A central point Moss raised was transparency. She said Iowans often don’t know where their property tax dollars go, and that making local government financial information easier to access would help rebuild trust. She outlined a goal of putting line-item local government budget information online so taxpayers can see how money is allocated. She acknowledged that doing the same thing at the state level would be a bigger project, but said it is on her radar.

Moss was also asked about the tension between the current state auditor and the Iowa Legislature, where some have argued that new laws have made it harder for the auditor’s office to get information. Moss said she is not yet prepared to fully take a side on that dispute but would come in “day one” willing to listen to the long-time staff in the office and, if problems are real, use her relationships at the Capitol to address them.

She drew a hard line on protecting people who report concerns about public spending. Referring to recent situations where records requests appeared to expose who asked for an audit, Moss said the auditor’s office should be a safe place for employees or elected officials to report possible misuse of funds without fear of retaliation. She said the whole point of allowing people inside government to raise red flags is lost if their names can be pulled out of documents later.

On the question of politically motivated audits, Moss said the auditor should review the facts first and the politics never. Her standard, she said, would be simple: did the complaint or concern come with enough information to justify the time and expense of an audit? If yes, the office should proceed. If not, it should not. That, she said, is how to protect taxpayer dollars and prevent the office from becoming a political weapon.