09/13/2018
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (Sept. 13, 2018) Auditor Galloway today released an audit of Andrew County, located in northwest Missouri, which received an overall rating of "good." The report revealed a miscalculation in property tax collections and brought forward concerns about the county's financial condition.
"It's important that tax rates are correctly calculated in compliance with the law to ensure fairness and accountability for taxpayers," said Auditor Galloway. "Although mistakes were made, county officials are working to prevent future issues from occurring."
State law allows voters to approve a county sales tax, but requires property taxes be reduced by a certain percentage of the total revenue generated by the sales tax. Andrew County residents approved a sales tax with a property tax reduction of 50 percent. The report found errors in property tax levy calculations, which resulted in $270,217 in excess collections from 2014-2017. County officials have developed a four-year plan to correct the error.
The report also included concerns involving the financial condition of the county. The Law Enforcement Fund (LEF) is operating at a deficit and officials took out a series of loans for new Sheriff's Office vehicles. The county has used general operating funds to supplement the LEF, which could leave the county unable to address budget shortfalls in the event of a financial emergency. County officials pointed to increased revenue expected from a jail expansion and indicated plans to maximize revenues and limit future spending in both funds.
A complete copy of the report can be found here.
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