Sand Takes Questions From The Public At Recent Stop

Iowa Auditor Rob Sand speaks with individuals at a recent stop in Oskaloosa.

August 5th, 2022

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The sound of the square on Thursday morning was a mix of music from the bandstand, traffic, a lawnmower, and a side grinder as it removed grout from a nearby building.

There was another sound as well, that of Iowa’s State Auditor Rob Sand as he spent an hour on the square in Oskaloosa, talking about the financial watchdog role his office plays and his attempts to add some teeth to the watchdog bite.

Sand, who was overdue for his scheduled visit, shared that they, not unlike many others, have to scramble to find childcare when illness knocks out their regular babysitter.

Sand was quick to emphasize that he made good on a promise to add law enforcement officials to the state auditor’s office.

Sand explained that since his office is doing all the public corruption investigations for the state,

“The reason we did that is, you know, the office we do all the public corruption investigations for the state. But if we’re doing them with just accountants and CPAs, they don’t necessarily know what exactly they should do to make it work in a courtroom. It’s just different rules in a courtroom,” explained Sand.

“We’ve also, I just think, become more aggressive,” Sand said of the office. “I think that’s important for the office too. We can deter people from doing bad things if we’re assertive and they know that someone’s looking at them.

“You should have a state auditor that strikes fear into the hearts of bureaucrats,” Sand added. “I like that. It makes me feel good about the work we’re doing.”

“Anti-partisanship is important too,” Sand says. “I don’t like political parties. Sorry. We’re not supposed to have them.”

“You look at anything any of the founders said, and that’s what they said; watch out for partisanship,” Sand said. “I’d rather get rid of them [political parties].”

“That said, we’re in the world we’re in,” Sand went on to say.

He explained that he has a Democrat, Republican, and an Independent as senior leadership in the office. “And that includes people who made campaign contributions to my opponent.”

“I didn’t hold that against them. I promoted them into the senior positions that they’re in,” added Sand. “I want every office to operate in a way that sends a message that everybody in the state is represented, no matter how you vote.”

Sand also believes the practice helps stop groupthink, “if your whole group thinks the same way, you’re gonna kind of eventually run off the cliff.”

Sand is still looking for new Pie Recipes, short for Public Innovations and Efficiencies.

Sand has utilized the program to help Iowa municipalities see examples of how other similar municipalities are saving money and becoming more efficient.

The program has gained enough traction that Mississippi’s Republican Governor, Tate Reeves, began to have the program implemented there.

The program there isn’t unlike here, “There are many simple ways that organizations can cut costs, reduce waste, and improve efficiency in the workplace. We are looking to see how your office has managed cost savings to make the best possible use of taxpayer resources.”

The public then asked various questions ranging from the expenditure of public dollars for attorneys, hiring contractors, and providing a suitable environment for students.

As new people arrived, Sand retouched on his main talking points and then invited them to ask questions they may have.

Sand is seeking re-election to his second term against Republican opponent Todd Halbur in November’s election.