State Auditor John “Frugal” Dougall today announces that he will not seek re-election. Auditor Dougall has led the Office of the State Auditor (Office) since January 2013. He will complete his third term on January 5, 2025.
Auditor Dougall shared:
I am humbled by the trust Utah voters have placed in me to serve as their constitutional watchdog, helping them hold their government accountable. During my tenure, we improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the Office’s oversight role. We aggressively identified waste, fraud, and abuse in government and increased government compliance with statutory obligations.
I strongly believe that transparency in government operations and spending improves public understanding and oversight. With this emphasis, the Office assumed responsibility for, upgraded, and re-launched Transparent Utah, an integrated website providing taxpayers with in-depth financial information for essentially every state and local governmental entity in Utah. The Office further expanded transparency with innovative tools like Project KIDS, which allows taxpayers and administrators to see where money goes within Utah’s system of public education, allowing stakeholders to better determine how well that money was spent. The Office has also shown how data analysis and visualization can bring greater transparency to disparate issues like the cost of health care and the property valuation process.
Finally, we championed strengthening privacy protections for Utahns years before other policymakers recognized this critical emerging need. While government needs to be transparent, government must be less invasive and must protect citizen’s privacy. Government should limit the amount of personal data is collects and retains. Citizens should have greater control over their personal data, limiting the government’s collection and use of that data.
Auditor Dougall continued: During my 2012 campaign, I was asked what was the ideal tenure for the State Auditor. I indicated 2 to 3 terms (8 to 12 years). I still believe that today. While I continue to have passion for our mission, I believe in the importance of new perspectives to tackle new problems. Term limits are critical for accountability, whether statutorily- or self-imposed. Now is the time for a new leader to share a vision for a better future.
The news release may be found on the Office’s website at auditor.utah.gov.
