During the past legislative session, the Legislative Audit Subcommittee called for an audit of the University of Utah's athletic department because the Legislature has responsibility for state government being run ethically and with proper financial controls. That same justification could be used to audit another sports organization funded with millions of taxpayer dollars, the Utah Sports Commission. That would most likely need to be initiated by another authority because three of the four Legislative Audit Subcommittee members serve on the Utah Sports Commission, including Senate President Wayne Niederhauser and House Speaker Greg Hughes as officers.
They should still agree that "an audit is very appropriate" given the amendment of HB22 in 2015 by Rep. Brad Wilson, a Sports Commission executive, so that the Sports Commission is no longer required to provide a "complete" accounting of the money it receives. Another Sports Commission executive, Gov. Gary Herbert, signed the bill into law (UCA 63N-7-301 (6) (b) (i)), thus reducing fiscal transparency of the very entity the Legislature this session directed "to oversee any bid on a future Olympic Winter Games" (SCR12). Haven't we already been down this road? Most Utahns would welcome the Games returning in 2026, but not with the same expenditure secrecy and taint of the 2002 bid effort.
State Auditor John Dougall, who touts himself as the watchdog of our state tax dollars, is also unlikely to conduct a thorough audit of the Sports Commission because his close friend, Sen. Curt Bramble, serves on the Sports Commission’s Executive Committee. It is also unlikely the Governor’s Office would scrutinize the Sports Commission because the governor is a member of the Sports Commission’s Executive Committee and plays tennis with Jeff Robbins, CEO of the Sports Commission.
Perhaps the governor is unwilling to debate his intra-party challenger because he may need to take a position on Sports Commission expenditure transparency and the commission’s exemption from reporting gifts to elected officials, as is required of entities that employ paid lobbyists. The Sports Commission does not need to hire a paid lobbyist because those who control the state purse strings already serve as officers or executives of the Sports Commission and thus do not need to be lobbied. They can — in their dual roles and for the uncontested benefit of the commission — make motions, amend bills, appropriate money or sign the appropriations bill into law. That is an unfair advantage the Sports Commission enjoys over other state-funded organizations.
After the Winter Olympic bid scandal of 1998, it is imperative that the Sports Commission exercise an abundance of caution by providing a complete accounting of its expenses; and that the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) follow through with its statutory obligation to annually receive and review such reports on a consistent basis, and implement compliance procedures to ensure such.
Although Utah’s world-class natural and man-made sport facilities are the best assets for attracting world-class sporting events, most Utahns also recognize the need for public investment in marketing efforts to bring such events to our state. There is, therefore, little reason to shroud such expenditures in secrecy; and there is every reason, given recent history, to make them transparent. Urge your legislator to change the statute back next session so that the Sports Commission must provide a “complete” accounting of how it uses the public’s money. This would be a significant step toward increasing fairness, transparency and fiscal accountability in state government.
Scott R. Mecham is a Salt Lake City resident and 2002 volunteer assistant to the German National Olympic Committee.