(Des Moines, Iowa) —State Auditor Rob Sand has released his legislative recommendations to reduce fraud and corruption, save taxpayers money, and address the nationwide shortage of accountants. Among the measures is a proposal to take Sand’s Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program to the next level. Counties, cities, and school districts began implementing the PIE program five years ago. It is designed to encourage local governments to create innovative strategies to reduce waste and save tax dollars and then share those ideas with other governmental entities in the form of PIE “recipes.”

Sand says “The bill we’re proposing would require the Auditor’s Office to prepare an annual report based on a list of best practices being implemented through the PIE program. We’d then distribute that report statewide so everyone can have access to ideas that have the potential of saving millions of tax dollars.” Sand is also addressing the nationwide shortage of accountants and auditors impacting the public and private sectors.  His proposal would exempt accountants from state income tax when performing audits and examinations of governmental subdivisions like cities and schools.

Auditor Sand says “I’ve already tried to ease the shortage in our office by eliminating the four-year degree requirement and hiring accountants with associate degrees. “The tax exemption incentivizes private CPA firms to perform government audits crucial to tracking how the government spends your money.”