Sonntag deserves re-election

If there was ever a stereotypical image of a state auditor wearing eye shades, poring over stacks of spreadsheets looking for any skullduggery in local and state government spending, it has long since been shattered by Brian Sonntag.

Sonntag, a Democrat, has taken the auditor's office to new levels since he was first elected in 1992, and we'd like to see him have the opportunity to keep those initiatives moving ahead with re-election to a new four-year term. The job pays $116,950 a year.

His opponent now, as he was eight years ago, is Republican Richard "Dick" McEntee, a retired Nalley's Fine Foods executive and who is now a business consultant. He's a credible candidate, but just doesn't make the case for unseating this very effective incumbent.

Sonntag is a leader in the executive branch of government and has brought new direction to the office with his handling of performance audits of local and state government agencies and programs.

If you like openness and accountability in government -- as we do -- you have to admire his unflagging support of both.

To begin with, he's long been a champion of whistleblower protection for those who report government wrongdoing.

Here's another prime example of his conviction that the public's business should be conducted in public: He'll be back in the January session of the Legislature to request approval of a measure requiring local government councils and commissions to tape-record executive sessions to discourage abuse of closed-door sessions. An attempt in the Legislature earlier this year failed in the wake of intense local government opposition and lobbying. Backers predict it will pass this time.

But the defining responsibility in Sonntag's office these days is performance audits. That authority was granted with voter approval of Initiative 900 in 2005. The state auditor has always done financial audits to try to make sure public dollars are spent legally and properly. Performance audits go a step further and look at how effectively and efficiently various units of government operate on taxpayers' money, and they offer suggestions for improvements.

To date, Sonntag's office has conducted 11 performance audits and identified more than $3.5 billion in savings and efficiencies. He said that the audited state agencies and local governments have resolved 60 percent of the findings and recommendations.

Our favorite example of how the process works is the auditor's 2007 report on a review of the Port of Seattle's construction contract management.
The audit cost $758,940 but identified
$97.2 million in unnecessary spending. Serious deficiencies were found in oversight and controls, and auditors made 51 recommendations for improvement.

At its request, Yakima is the first city in the state to undergo a performance audit. Preliminary work is under way, and the review of how the city conducts its business and how it might do so better will take about 18 months.

All things considered, with Sonntag, the public has a good thing going on behalf of looking out for its best interests. He should be rehired for another four years.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.

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