The Republican candidate for Iowa auditor says he wants to be a watchdog and the voice of the Iowa taxpayer. Todd Halbur became the party’s nominee by narrowly defeating former state Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa in the June primary.
Speaking to a supporters sheltering from rainshowers at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair Saturday, Halbur laid out his three priorities as auditor.
“So the first one is save the taxpayer money by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse; the second one is accountability to all Iowans and to all taxpayers; third is make some money for the Iowa taxpayer by streamlining and making government efficient,” he said.
Halbur said he’d like to see smaller cities – those with fewer than 2,000 people and budgets under $1 million – audited more often than once every eight years.
“What do you think happens in eight years?” Halbur asked. “That’s like taking your 8-year-old son or daughter, checking out of their lives, and checking back in when they get their driver's license. Think how that’s going to go.”
Halbur would also like to see Iowa’s Alcoholic Beverages Division no longer have direct control over wholesale liquor in the state. He says that would result in lower prices for Iowans. Halbur has what he called a whistleblower lawsuit pending against the division following a 2018 dismissal.
Halbur is challenging Democratic incumbent Rob Sand, who spoke at the soapbox on Wednesday.
