---------- DOCUMENT HEADER ----------
---------- DOCUMENT HEADER ----------
ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE
Fifty-first Legislature – Second Regular Session
SENATE FINANCE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE FOR THE PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF
THE GILA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION EXCISE TAX
Minutes of Interim Meeting
House Hearing Room 5 -- 10:15 a.m.
Co-Chairman Lesko called the meeting to order at 10:23 a.m. and attendance was noted by the secretary.
Members Present
Senator Steve Yarbrough, Co-Chair Representative Debbie Lesko, Co-Chair
Senator Michele Reagan Representative Mark Cardenas
Senator Bob Worsley Representative Adam Kwasman
Members Absent
Senator Olivia Cajero Bedford Representative Justin Olson
Senator Robert Meza
PRESENTATION BY THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL
Jay Zsorey, Financial Audit Director, Office of the Auditor General, gave a slide presentation on the performance audit report of the Gila County Transportation Excise Tax (Attachment 1). He advised that in 1994, Gila County voters approved a 20-year, half-cent sales tax to pay for highway and street improvements and transportation projects. To ensure accountability, the Legislature requires the Office of the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of both the impact of the tax and whether the money is spent for required road projects.
The performance audit dated June 2014 is the third audit performed by the Office of the Auditor General since the half-cent sales tax was approved by the voters in 1994 and covers calendar years 2009 to 2013 (Attachment 2). The current excise tax will expire on December 31, 2014. The Gila County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution requesting that voters approve a new excise tax in the upcoming November election. If approved by the Gila County voters, the excise tax will be in effect for 20 years. He related that during the performance audit, it was noted that the County has spent excise tax monies in accordance with applicable Arizona Revised Statutes and has substantially implemented prior audit recommendations.
Representative Wheeler asked how Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF) monies will be used. Mr. Zsorey answered that the HURF funds will be used for future projects. It is up to the Legislature to determine how the monies will be allocated.
RESPONSE BY GILA COUNTY
Steve Stratton, Public Works Director, Gila County, thanked the Auditor General's Office for the performance audit as well as his staff for their hard work. Shortcomings brought up in past Committees have been eliminated and corrected. He expressed hope that the voters will approve the continuation of the excise tax in the November election.
Without objection, the meeting adjourned at 10:32 a.m.
______________________________
Joanne Bell, Committee Secretary
October 16, 2014
(Original minutes, attachments and audio on file in the Chief Clerk’s Office; video archives available at http://www.azleg.gov)
---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------
COR - SENATE FINANCE AND HOUSE WM
2
October 7, 2014
---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------