Go to: Denver Post Voter Guide • Candidate Q&A home page
Briefly describe the single most urgent issue that you would act on as Denver city auditor and how you would proceed.
The implementation of the new legislation to expand Denver Labor’s ability to enforce the minimum wage and recover stolen wages. Annually, Colorado workers experience over $728 million in stolen wages, largely borne by people of color, women, immigrants, refugees, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable communities. The next Denver Auditor will be tasked with building out an effective program and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to make Denver Labor a more collaborative, effective champion of working class and middle class people.
What do you believe is the most important function of the Denver auditor?
Improving the outcomes of city programs and functions through performance auditing. The Auditor’s Office should be proactive by implementing an Auditing Forward program to improve the efficacy of city programs and drive results on the topics that matter to Denver residents, like homelessness, public safety, public health, housing, transportation, opportunity for all, and more. Since the annual audit of the city’s financial statements has been outsourced to a third-party vendor, performance audits are the main auditing function provided in-house by this office.
How would you ease the current tension between the auditor and the city council?
“Tension” is an understatement when the Auditor has used taxpayer dollars to file a lawsuit against the legislative branch of city government. This is a failure of leadership to engage in good faith and focus on solving challenges for residents. As Auditor, I’ll request to present an audit update to council every quarter. I’ll also offer to hold public engagement events with councilmembers in their districts so that the Auditor’s Office is more responsive and accessible to residents. My focus will not be on divisiveness or personal squabbles, but on driving results for residents on the issues they care about.
With the Great Hall audit and others, there have been accusations that the office treated multi-million dollar issues with kid gloves. How can the office be more aggressive?
Let’s put this into perspective. We have billion-dollar projects that have consistently gone hundreds of millions of dollars over budget with years of delays. We saw this through the Denver Airport Great Hall project, the Pena Boulevard redevelopment project, general obligation bond projects, and more. The Auditor’s Office waited over four years to release an audit report of the Great Hall project and years of delays for other construction projects. We need to wake up the watchdog and prioritize timely, comprehensive audits of these projects. An audit should start at the contracting stage to prevent snowballing through early detection.
Increasingly ballot questions are establishing agencies outside the city with a dedicated revenue stream. How can the auditor assure taxpayer dollars are not squandered or embezzled?
The Denver City Auditor has the authority to provide oversight of departments and agencies, including grants provided by and to the City. Historically, this has provided the Auditor an ability to audit external agencies and cultural centers. These agencies are also required to have an external audit of their annual financial statements. Further, as Auditor, I’ll invite external agencies to agree to performance audits focused on improving the delivery of services to Denver residents. This office can prioritize both collaboration and accountability to get better results for Denver’s taxpayers.
Briefly describe the single most urgent issue that you would act on as Denver city auditor and how you would proceed.
The city must step up when it comes to following through on its promises. I have completed hundreds of audits, including reports on city sidewalks, park maintenance, and the city’s response to homelessness. One recurring theme is failure to create plans for how leadership will effectively use its millions of taxpayer dollars. The people of Denver are clear on their priorities like supporting disadvantaged businesses, protecting the city’s affordable housing inventory, and ensuring a long-term commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. That’s where my role as an impartial and experienced Auditor has – and will – come in. I will prioritize the topics the community values most and continue to complete nationally recognized, peer-reviewed audits that hold city leaders to their promises.
What do you believe is the most important function of the Denver auditor?
The Denver Auditor is a check and balance on Denver’s “strong mayor” system. As a key accountability resource in the city, I serve in an important role for both auditing and wage protections. With a new mayor and City Council, my steadfast understanding of what city leadership promised – compared to what it actually does – will be more important than ever. In my audit work, I will elevate the accountability function by supporting transparency in the use of public resources. As the head of one of the largest wage enforcement organizations in the country, I will also hold employers accountable in accordance with all of Denver’s wage laws. Employees in Denver are some of the most protected in the country. That starts with my plan for business education and proactive wage enforcement.
How would you ease the current tension between the auditor and the city council?
In the next term, City Council will include several new members and I believe this is an opportunity for a fresh start. I hope this will also mean the members of City Council will finally be open to objective feedback from my planned operations audit. No part of Denver’s government is above independent review. I would prefer to have a functional relationship with the legislative branch and intend to work toward that, but all audits must be conducted in accordance with the Denver Charter-mandated auditing standards. The voters said they wanted an independent Auditor when they approved the Charter language. Failing to maintain independence is a failure to fulfill the audit function. I will do what I must to champion the audit function and the value it provides to my constituents.
With the Great Hall audit and others, there have been accusations that the office treated multi-million dollar issues with kid gloves. How can the office be more aggressive?
I have completed more audits of Denver International Airport than any other city department or agency and an audit of the Great Hall Project is ongoing. The Auditor should start every project focused on the facts and without an agenda. That means a successful Auditor should never be intentionally “more aggressive.” I can best serve all people and all diverse viewpoints in Denver by remaining objective and focusing on facts. Independence is also a requirement to pass our Charter-mandated peer reviews. Adherence to facts through a strong quality assurance process is how members of the public know they can trust the information I report, rather than wondering if what they are reading is advancing an agenda. It is up to my constituents to draw their own conclusions based on the facts.
Increasingly ballot questions are establishing agencies outside the city with a dedicated revenue stream. How can the auditor assure taxpayer dollars are not squandered or embezzled?
Holding the city accountable for how it keeps track of tax dollars in the hands of third-parties has been a top priority. I have audited the city’s oversight of Rocky Mountain Human Services, Caring for Denver, the Parks Legacy Fund, the Denver Preschool Program, and an audit of the college affordability fund is ongoing. I will continue to monitor how the city follows through on its contracts and operating agreements. That includes checking to make sure the city is getting the best prices, that the city is receiving the goods and services it pays for, that tax dollars are used in accordance with voter intent, and that documentation tracks all approved spending appropriately. I hope my audits will help new leadership strengthen their oversight and keep administrative costs down.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically by last name.
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