Washington Business Summer 2019 | Washington Business | Page 20

washington business In Their Words Pat McCarthy is the 11th Washington State Auditor and the first woman elected to the statewide office when she took the oath of office in 2017. Taking over after a rough patch at the agency, McCarthy has made it a point to tour the state to attend local meetings, association and chamber of commerce gatherings, and to meet with local government officials to explain the work and role of the auditor’s office. She sat down with staff writer Bobbi Cussins earlier this year to share how her time as Pierce County executive shapes her work and communication style with local government leaders as well as the digital transparency work she and her team of 400 employees in 15 offices are doing across the state. You took on the role of Washington state auditor after a difficult time in the office. How have you been working to rebuild the agency’s reputation? The first year, people said, “Oh, I bet you really had to right the ship, and everything.” I had to really clarify for folks that it was a well-run organization but was just lacking in leadership. When you have a lack of leadership during the previous administration, it creates challenges. But, really, the boots on the ground, the 400 souls that work in this organization, were doing their jobs. I had to rebuild internally, particularly a communications department. The state auditor’s office has traditionally really required that relationship with the media, to shine the bright light. Or if there’s fraud, we want the media to know, because I think it’s important for the public to have that information. When it comes to our clients, we let them know first that this is something that needs to see the light of day. How are you shedding light on the work of the State Auditor’s Office? If we went out and asked, “What does a State Auditor’s Office do,” nine times out of 10 people say, “Well, I think they audit.” Short of that, they really don’t know the breadth and how valuable and important it is. I’ve developed relationships with lots of folks, including people [in the Legislature], on both sides of the aisle, and both houses. Our office has made the effort to visit [newspaper] editorial boards across the state of Washington and all our customers in government. I’ve been to dozens of association meetings and conferences and Kiwanis and other service clubs all over the state to educate people about what the state auditor’s office does. What is the importance of the State Auditor’s Office and its role in state and local government? The office was created back in 1889 when we were a territory, so it’s just built into our DNA as a state. Our forefathers thought it 20 association of washington business was really important to have a separate elected office to look at the coffers of state and local government. We probably do more than almost every state, with the exception maybe of Ohio. Some states have comptrollers and some states have auditors. Some are elected, some are appointed, and some are legislative auditors. But we have both in this state. My feeling, coming out of local government and having a healthy respect for it, and state government as well, is that you need to embrace when you have a problem. Embrace it. Show it, don’t hide it. Let it be known, because that gives you the opportunity to make changes. We’re very constructive, that’s what I want our folks to be, is constructive. You have been laser focused on transparency, from rolling out the new Financial Intelligence Tool, or FIT, this year, to revamping the agency’s website to make it easier to find information. Can you explain why that’s so important to you and your team? I’ve been on a mission. We embarked a year-and-a-half ago to redo our website. I like to tell the story, and I don’t mean to be disrespectful to the people that created the website before, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anything on our website. We had a plethora of information out there, but it wasn’t a “two-click” experience. I’m impatient. I wanted it to be attractive, I wanted it to be engaging and I wanted it to be a two-click. The FIT tool was rolled it out in February. I met with 60 or so legislators since last August, to share FIT with them. It’s a great addition to taxpayers because there’s a lot of conversation surrounding the question of “what are we getting for our money?” The FIT tool can help general taxpayers understand, here’s what’s coming in, here’s where it’s going, and here’s how it’s going out. We’re going to take this on the road this summer, heading to legislators’ home turf, whether it’s Spokane, Tri-Cities, Southwest Washington, or even up north, to let them know this is what you’re going to have access to at your fingertips. What is their local government’s financial status? What have they been doing? You