Tax credit audit highlights "erroneous" information
From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Lobbyist Money Help  

Tax credit audit highlights "erroneous" information

Date: September 8, 2010
By: Kiki Schmitz
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  State Auditor Susan Montee says state tax credit programs lack transparency. Kiki Schmitz has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:48
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: On the same day the state's auditor says two of Missouri's tax credit programs have serious flaws, the govenor meets with the commission he says will solve the problem.

State auditor Susan Montee says the state's current tax credit programs are plagued by inflated forecasts, little accountability, and even data entry errors. Montee's report stated the economic benefits of the programs are overstated to lawmakers.

 

Actuality:  MONTEE2.WAV
Run Time:  00:13
Description: When they go to evaluate whether or not it was a good program or not, they're given these reports by Economic Development, and the reports were way off. So we said on an overall basis, the reports are way off.

Govenor Jay Nixon asked his 25 member group to propose program improvements by Thanksgiving. He said some programs may need to be eliminated entirely.

From Jefferson City, I'm Kiki Schmitz.

Intro:  The Department for Economic Development says it's business as usual, despite the state auditor's report of serious flaws in their tax credit program. Kiki Schmitz has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: In spite of state audit findings showing inflated forecasts and major data errors, the Department of Economic Development has not comment on the report.

In fact, the department's Communications Coordinator Keener Tippin say he hasn't even read it.

State auditor Susan Montee said the state's current tax credit programs fail to adequately monitor participating businesses. So much that Montee's report cited a 43 percent error rate in the information submitted to the department.

On the same day Montee's report was printed, Govenor Jay Nixon met with the commission he says will address the problems. Nixon says he plans to assemble program improvements by Thanksgiving.

From Jefferson City, I'm Kiki Schmitz.