Wyoming State Auditor Election: Jeff Dockter

NLJ: Please tell us why you want to hold this office, and what you intend to accomplish if elected. Please be specific about your goals and objectives, so our readers can measure your progress over the course of the term. Also tell us what qualifications and characteristics you possess that will help ensure that your stated goals can be achieved. (The same question was posed to all candidates for the General Election.)

Jeff Dockter
I decided to run for state auditor because I believe the issues facing the auditor’s office are technology based and can be solved via technical Innovation. I have audited government contracts and programs to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. I believe my experience in state government and my experience in information technology gives me the skills to effectively lead and innovate business processes at the Auditor’s office. In a data-driven, connected world, the only way to inform taxpayers is through technology improvement & innovation.
I grew up in the rural town of Circle, Mont., working on the family farm until it was sold in 1990. I earned my master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Wyoming in 2008, and am a certified project manager. It’s unfortunate that, right now, Wyoming earns an “F” in transparency. However, an experienced technological innovator can raise that grade — that’s  where my 15 years of state work experience comes into play. 
Voters need to know that the state auditor’s office has been in GOP hands for 72 years. A long line of partisan auditors have had every opportunity to make some version, any version, of Wyoming’s checkbook available to citizens. They simply chose not to do it. I will. My primary goal is to put Wyoming’s checkbook online in the quickest possible manner and at the lowest possible cost to taxpayers. I will publish that vendor data on Day One, making Wyoming’s checkbook available to everyone. 
My solution is a low-cost, easily achievable plan to move Wyoming off that “F” rating in transparency. My plan moves Wyoming forward at little to no cost to the taxpayer while at the same time informing citizens. That’s a win for everyone. I will also include new budget details in future releases, explained in ways that citizens can better understand state expenditures.
Voters deserve to know where government is spending taxpayer money, and if it’s spent in accordance with legislative intent. I am committed to developing a process that ties expenditures back to the original appropriation so citizens can make their own determination if expended funds actually improved outcomes for Wyoming citizens. 
Additionally, as a voting member on the State Lands and Investment Board, I will vote yes on projects that help communities improve antiquated infrastructure. Growing up in a small town, I understand the challenges faced by Wyoming communities. I know it is hard to complete new infrastructure projects that attract new businesses, bring in tourists, and promote a healthy economy. 
I believe our state leaders need to recognize that continued technical innovation is key to responding to future budget challenges. Many decisions today are made without a clear understanding of what the hard data is telling us. Without innovation, leaders will continue to make poor decisions based on gut feelings or intuition. Wyoming’s farmers, ranchers, miners, and other businesses do not operate in such a manner; state government should not either.