Missouri is heading toward a potentially painful budget reckoning as state spending continues to outpace revenue growth, making fiscal policy a central issue in the state auditor race. The two leading candidates agree that the state’s looming financial crunch is a major concern for the office, but they sharply disagree over what the auditor can and should do about it.
Republican incumbent Scott Fitzpatrick argues that the auditor’s responsibility is to independently assess state finances, warn policymakers about looming problems, and root out waste, fraud, and abuse. Meanwhile, Democratic hopeful Quentin Wilson—who has spent two decades in leadership roles across multiple state agencies—argues the office should take a more proactive stance in discovering methods for state government to enhance efficiency and reduce expenditures. A third-party Libertarian candidate, Dustin Coffell, is also on the ballot for the position.
This philosophical split has turned into a focal point in the contest for a post lacking budget-drafting powers yet equipped with extensive oversight regarding the utilization of taxpayer funds. Fitzpatrick issued a report in January warning legislators about the difficult budget decisions ahead. Prior to his 2019 tenure as state treasurer, Fitzpatrick spent two years leading the Missouri House Budget Committee.
I do not see any prospects of a federal bailout coming to soften the blow of what’s about to happen this time,
Fitzpatrick told The Independent. I think what we’re getting ready to encounter is unprecedented. It’s certainly going to be much worse than anything I dealt with when I was the House budget chairman.
Diverging Views on the Auditor Role
Fitzpatrick maintains that his job is to start the conversation and bring a level of seriousness to an issue that he feels has lacked proper attention. However, Wilson believes the auditor’s job should go far beyond merely sounding an alarm.
Today I signed Missouri's Fiscal Year 2027 state budget bills, investing in Missouri’s priorities while also taking an important step toward right-sizing government to ensure Missouri remains positioned for long-term success. pic.twitter.com/EIH2zZIUCE
You may have heard the current auditor say that his job is basically to tell people when they’re going to run out of money, so they can start planning,
Wilson said. That’s not an auditor. That’s a doomsday clock.
Wilson argued that his experience leading state agencies convinced him that the office should take a more proactive approach, evaluating not only whether public money was properly spent but also whether government programs are working as efficiently as possible. In response, Fitzpatrick notes that the auditor cannot appropriate money, veto spending, or force agencies to adopt recommendations.
That’s between the legislature and the governor,
Fitzpatrick said, and I’m neither one of those.
Expanding Watchdog Powers in Local Government
Fitzpatrick highlights his administration’s probes into waste, fraud, and abuse, particularly within local municipalities, as proof that the state’s traditional watchdog function has been reinforced. During 2024, Fitzpatrick successfully advocated for legislation granting his department enhanced authority to audit local governments when whistleblower tips reveal potential misconduct.
Under previous state statutes, the auditor’s division generally required either a petition from local residents or a formal request from a municipal governing body to initiate an audit. Under the revised statute, the office can occasionally transition straight from an investigation to an audit while exercising subpoena authority throughout the investigative phase. The measure passed unanimously in both legislative chambers.
Our first audit that we conducted under that expanded authority was the city of Arnold,
Fitzpatrick said, describing it as kind of a banger of an audit in my view.
He noted that the review exposed the city’s practice of creating transportation development districts as a way to basically tax the citizens of the city without a vote of the people.
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