Auditor's office is bloated

To the Editor:

Madison County Auditor Rick Faccin often criticizes Madison County Treasurer Kurt Prenzler. However, Faccin never criticized Kurt Prenzler’s  efficient management. Prenzler cut the Treasurer Office expenses by more than 30 percent saving Madison County taxpayers a million dollars.

Faccin’s attacks appear just a diversion from Faccin’s own bloated budget.  

Let’s look at personnel numbers.  Faccin employs 11 people for a county population of 269,282. In comparison, the Cook County Auditor, employs only 10 employees to service a population of 5,194,675 people. Why Mr. Faccin needs 11 employees while the Cook County Auditor needs only 10 defies logic. 

A clearer picture emerges when we compare auditor’s budgets. St Clair County Auditor with a budget of $376, 135, employs six employees and services a population of 270,056 at a per capita cost of $1.38.  Similarly, the Champaign County Auditor with five and a half employees and a budget of $304,019 services a population of 201, 081 people at a per capita cost of $1.56. In contrast Mr. Faccin’s per capita budget is $2.60 per person or 180 percent the cost of St Clair County and 166 percent the cost of Champaign County.

Perhaps, taxpayers should demand a forensic audit to determine cost savings. Money saved could pay for the audit. What do you think? Does the Auditor need an audit?

Philip W. Chapman

Highland