Auditor Blaha’s Summer Tour Will Focus on Public Finance Staff Shortages - For July 14, 2025
“Understanding how private firms and stakeholders manage workforce shortages is essential to building workable solutions for local governments. We need solutions that blend the realities of both the market and the mission.”
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — State Auditor Julie Blaha launched a targeted, statewide summer outreach tour last week to connect with local government organizations and private audit firms. Her focus is to better understand how Agreed Upon Procedures (AUPs) are being handled in the field and how to improve outcomes for Minnesota’s local governments.
“Changes in state law mean changes in how local governments report,” Auditor Blaha said. “My goal is to better understand how the private market approaches the different kinds of work local government needs from accounting firms.”
Auditor Blaha will meet directly with organizations representing local entities along with private audit firms that are active in the local government space. This work builds on the efforts of Auditor Blaha's Audit and Reporting Group (AaRG) and reflects a pivot in response to a new legislative direction.
“We’re listening to both sides of the equation,” Blaha continued. “We want to know what private firms consider when deciding whether to take on local government audits, and we also need to hear what local government leaders are experiencing when they try to secure it.”
Auditor Blaha kicked off the tour last week with a visit to western Minnesota and will make additional stops later this month across northern and southern Minnesota, as well as throughout the Twin Cities metro area. The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) will compile feedback gathered during the summer and evaluate how it can inform guidance, training, and future legislative efforts.
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