Tad Rasmussen
For Utah County Auditor
I am running for Utah County Auditor to reduce taxpayer costs for Utah County and to improve transparency and processes.Paid for by Tad Rasmussen
About Me
I am an experienced professional with a background in business management and accounting, holding a B.S. from Utah Valley University. I earned my NIGP-CPP in 2024. I believe it is always important to keep learning and growing.In twenty-six years with the County, I've honed my skills in finance, purchasing, and contract compliance. My time in the Auditor's Office allowed me to develop solutions for issues while upholding conservative principles.I have a strong track record in leadership, having managed teams and led a 350-person non-profit organization, and I currently train/mentor 60 department buyers.I believe government should be accountable to the taxpayer, be fiscally responsible, and keep taxes low.Outside of work, I like to garden, enjoy nature and participate in volunteer service activities and projects.
Role of Auditor
UTAH COUNTY AUDITOR — STATUTORY DUTIES
Utah Code Title 17, Chapter 19a & Title 59, Chapter 2The county auditor serves in a dual statutory capacity as both:Chief financial officer of the county
Independent internal auditor and watchdogUtah Code intentionally places the auditor inside the financial system (accounting, tax administration) and outside the system (oversight and audit).The county auditor is the only county official with statutory authority that spans both financial administration and independent oversight ensuring accuracy, legality, and accountability across the entire tax and spending system.1. ACCOUNTING & FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
Utah Code §17-19a-201, §17-19a-301, §17-19a-205· Maintain the county’s financial records and accounts
· Track receipts, expenditures, and liabilities
· Ensure lawful disbursement of public funds
· Reconcile accounts with the county treasurer
· Provide accounting services to county departments (unless reassigned)2. AUDIT & OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY
Utah Code §17-19a-202, §17-19a-302· Audit all county offices, departments, and entities
· Ensure compliance with law, policy, and financial controls
· Conduct:
o Financial audits
o Performance audits
o Attestation engagements
· Report irregularities, misuse, or noncompliance3. INVESTIGATIVE POWERS
Utah Code §17-19a-401· Investigate financial and operational issues within county government
· Access all books, records, and accounts
· May:
o Administer oaths
o Issue administrative subpoenas
· Prepare formal findings and reports when issues are identified4. PROPERTY TAX ADMINISTRATION
Utah Code §59-2-924, §59-2-1365· Calculate the certified tax rate
· Ensure compliance with Truth in Taxation requirements
· Apply tax rates based on adopted budgets
· Serve as a key checkpoint between:
o Assessor (valuation)
o Treasurer (collection)5. TAX NOTICES & TRANSPARENCY
Utah Code §59-2-919, §59-2-919.1· Prepare and send property tax notices
· Provide required disclosures:
o Property valuation
o Tax rates
o Taxing entities
· Notify taxpayers of proposed tax increases6. BOARD OF EQUALIZATION SUPPORT
Utah Code §59-2-701 et seq.· Serve as clerk/support to the County Board of Equalization
· Maintain records of appeals and decisions
· Implement valuation adjustmentsSTRUCTURAL FUNCTION (WHY IT MATTERS)Built-In Checks and Balances
· Assessor → Determines value
· Auditor → Verifies + calculates tax
· Treasurer → Collects funds
· Auditor → Audits entire system
No single office controls the full chain.If you prefer videos, try this one.
Taxpayer Savings
*The information listed comes from the county website and other public sources.Quotes and Bids Must be Fair, Open, and TransparentThe Problem: Policy allows departments to obtain quotes however they choose for projects up to $50,000. Three quotes are required but the process can be manipulated to choose a vendor that did not give the lowest quote. Taxpayer dollars are at risk when quotes are not posted publicly on an open, transparent platform.My Solutions:
Open quote platform: Require all quotes to be posted visibly and accountably.
Training: Require procurement-trained staff to manage solicitations to ensure compliance with state, federal, and county rules. This would require staff passing a test to document their knowledge.Estimated savings of $600,000–$1.2 million in the first year of implementation.Economy of Scale in PurchasesThe Problem: Each department in the County purchases independently, resulting in hundreds of vendors and fragmented buying power. The County loses leverage to negotiate better pricing. Office supplies alone use at least three vendors, diluting volume discounts.My Solutions:
Negotiate: Use bulk buying discounts based on County-wide spend.
Consolidate: Reduce total vendor count to strengthen overall negotiating power and make each tax dollar go further.Estimated savings of $100,000 in the first year of implementation.State Contracts & Cooperative PurchasingThe Problem: Duplicated solicitations (when more than one government entity posts a solicitation for the same or similar item) cost $15,000–$50,000 per RFP (Request For Proposal) in staff time alone. The County does about 20 RFPs per year. Vendors also spend similar amounts responding, increasing costs passed on to the government. The County misses out on statewide negotiated pricing and cost savings from economy of scale.My Solutions:Utah State Contracts: Competitively bid and available to all Utah government entities to increase buying power.
Co-ops: Join multi-county or multi-city cooperative bids to increase buying power. Reduce administrative burden and vendor costs while securing better pricing. Also add revenue by allowing other entities to use County contracts.Conduct Efficiency AuditsThe Problem:
Not all inefficiencies in County departments have been identified. Inefficiencies waste time and taxpayer money.My Solution:Audits: Perform efficiency audits to identify and improve department processes to save time and money.
Transparency
*The information listed comes from the county website and other public sources.Public TransparencyThe Problem: The public has no easy way to track County income and expenses.My Solution: I'd like to make the County transparency pages actually give information on income and expenses, similar to what the State Auditor has done at Transparent.Utah.gov.Transparency & Accountability ImprovementsThe Problem: There is no current universal requirement for Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosures from suppliers or employees requesting purchases, resulting in a risk of steering business to family/friends without transparency, unfair competition and potential overpayment, and/or kickbacks.My Solution:Mandatory COI forms: Require for both vendors and employees who purchase from vendors, which ensures fairness, protects taxpayer dollars, and supports open competition.Strengthen Separation of DutiesThe Problem: There is no known policy forbidding the same person from creating and maintaining a contract and then approving payment to the same vendor. This creates a significant fraud and audit risk.My Solutions:Separation of duties: To strengthen internal controls and reduce fraud risk, require two different employees for contract creation, management and payment approval.
Certification: Require employees who manage contracts to obtain and maintain contract management certification. National Contract Management Association (NCMA) – www.ncmahq.orgImprove Travel Policy TransparencyThe Problem: County policy references IRS Publication 1542 as guidelines for lodging but doesn’t define how to document it, which can lead to inconsistent practices and audit risk.My Solutions:Implement a travel platform: Show nightly hotel rates & GSA comparisons.
Training: Require annual travel training so employees understand policy and consequences.Average savings: 26% per night, or estimated savings $40,000-90,000 per year depending on County-wide travel volume.
Training and Processes
*The information listed comes from the county website and other public sources.Protecting Your Tax Dollars: Modernizing County OversightThe Auditor’s office should be the county’s watchdog. Currently, outdated manual processes and decentralized spending create unnecessary risks. I will implement a “Smart Oversight” initative to ensure every dollar is tracked, protected, and maximized.Professionalizing Grant ManagementThe Problem: Currently, grant spending is scattered across departments. When requirements or mandatory documents are missed, taxpayers are forced to "pay back" part or all of the grant money. Documentation and compliance vary widely.My Solutions:Centralize Oversight: Move grant spending under certified subject matter experts.
Guarantee Compliance: Standardize documentation to ensure we keep every cent of the funding we’re awarded.
Zero-Risk Policy: Eliminate the risk of partial or full grant repayments caused by administrative errors.
Require Grant Management Certification: Certification by a subject matter expert reduces the county’s risk and exposure for non-compliance.Eliminating "Spreadsheet Error" in Tax RatesThe Problem: Tax rates are currently calculated on manual spreadsheets—a single keystroke error can lead to massive financial discrepancies.My Solutions:Modernize the System: Lead the charge for statewide, automated tax-rate software to remove human error.
State-Level Integration: Implement automated uploads to state databases to ensure your tax bill is 100% accurate, every time.
Regional Leadership: Partner with other counties to lower associated software costs through a unified, tech-forward approach.Accountability for County Assets - Cell Phone ReformThe Problem: The County lacks a policy on trading in mobile devices at the end of their life cycle. Taxpayer-financed phones can be discarded instead of traded in.My Solutions:Stop the Waste: Implement a mandatory "Trade-In" policy. By capturing the trade-in value per used device, estimated savings up to $10,000 annually.
As I get questions, I'll post the questions and answers here.Question: Would I seek endorsements or accept donations?
Answer: No. Auditors should be objective, impartial, and not beholden to special interests. I won't keep anyone from saying nice things about me on their own, but I won't request formal promotion.Question: Does the Auditor need to be a CPA?
Answer: The County Auditor only has to be a registered voter in the county, live in the county at least one year before the election, and have no convictions. State code 17-16-1, 20A-2-101, 20A-9-201, 20A-9-202. The department has CPAs on staff to assist with related issues.Question: What is an Invitation To Bid?
Answer: A formal solicitation published on a open public platform. Usually an electronic platform.Question: When is a formal solicitation required?
Answer: When the expected cost will be greater than $50,000 for goods, equipment, materials, and supplies.Question: When is a construction solicitation required?
Answer: When the expected cost will be greater than $100,000.Question: When are professional services solicitation required?
Answer: When the expected cost will be greater than $100,000.Question: How much tax payer money was saved from doing Invitations to Bid (ITBs)?
Answer: For 2025, $8.59 million.Question: How much tax payer money was saved from obtaining quotes?
Answer: For 2025, $438,734.Question: How can you mitigate procurement fraud?
Answer: I recommend you start exploring the scope of the problem by reading this article.
Contact
I will return emails and messages as soon as possible. Thank you for being patient.Email: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/Tad4Auditor
Phone/text: 385-204-1023In order to schedule an appointment with me directly, use this link: