You are reading an ARCHIVED ARTICLE. Wednesday 08th of September 2010 7:45:04 pm
Publication date: March 08 2006
This week, I’m starting what I hope will be a series of features of candidates for Missouri offices.
Libertarian Charles Baum of St. Louis has formally filed to run for Missouri State Auditor. Mr. Baum is a Certified Financial Planner. He responded to my questions about his vision for the office. Those answers are published, unedited, below.
Democratic candidate Susan Montee and Republican candidates Rep. Jack Jackson and Rep. John Loudon were also asked to respond to the same questions and have, at this point, declined to participate in an interview for this website. I hope to publish features on these candidates and on State Rep. Mark Wright, who has also declared himself a candidate for Auditor, in the coming weeks and months.
You can learn more about Charles Baum by visiting http://baum2006.lpmo.org/
1) Why have you decided to seek the office of Missouri State Auditor?
Baum: I believe the public should have a choice for someone who can be objective in the duties required and not worried about the politics of the position. By having an auditor not affiliated with the two major political parties, I believe the results will become even more objective and be more closely aligned with the public's interest.
2) What role and influence should the Auditor have in Missouri's government?
Baum: Reviewing the performance and accounting of the state's various agencies with an eye toward improving efficiency and discovering any waste or fraud.
3) What should Missouri's taxpayers expect from the performance of the state's Auditor?
Baum: Results. I believe Missouri taxpayers ought to expect that their auditor is relentless in the pursuit of making sure our agencies are accountable and responsible.
4) Which changes, if any, would you implement into the structure and/or operations of the Auditor's office if elected?
Baum: The major change I look to bring is a non-political approach to a position that has for too long been swayed by policies of the auditor's party. I want independence and objectiveness to be associated with this position.
5) Which areas of Missouri government and government contracting, if any, will be your top priorities for audits or investigations if elected?
Baum: Once elected, I will investigate in more depth the nature by which audits have been chosen and performed in the past. I am sure that in this process I will discover areas that have long been "ignored" due to the overlap between political interests and private interests.
6) Given the recent conflicts between the Auditor's and Governor's offices, how would you approach working with other government officials - officials you may be called on to audit in the future?
Baum: With the utmost professionalism. I am sincere in my desire to be non-political. By virtue of running on the libertarian platform I am in a unique position to be unencumbered by political games. While my predecessors might have been reluctant to point fingers and blame when it was due, I don't feel such restrictions will prevent me from doing my job right. If it so happens that I uncover wrong doings or misgivings by state officials, I would expect both our government and our citizens to trust that I will handle the situation appropriately.
7) What are the "red flags" you, as Auditor, would watch for when deciding which audits and investigations to pursue?
Baum: My goal is to bring new ideas to the office. It is my hope that areas that are hot topics for debate which have been glossed over or ignored in the past get the attention they deserve. I am sure there are red flags all over the place. We are in a time when political interests weigh heavier than political correctness when making decisions. This may or may not be appropriate for other government offices, but the auditor by nature must be objective and not report to a major political party in order to ensure proper results.
8) What experience and qualities sets you apart from the other candidates in this race?
Baum: Political contributions that help a candidate get into office often set the stage for political favors once elected. One quality that I will bring is no such obligations will need to enter in my decision making as auditor. In addition, for nearly 30 years I have been a practicing financial planner in helping individuals and businesses audit their financial situation and look for improvements. It is with this same set of eyes that I look to view the financial situation of our state which ultimately will best serve the interests of Missouri taxpayers.
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