Gina Tanner, county budget manager and auditor candidate, emphasizes transparency and tighter controls

Gina Tanner, a current county budget manager and candidate for Utah County auditor, said she would make transparency and accurate financial data the foundation of the auditor’s office.

Tanner described the auditor’s role in preparing the tentative budget and said she uses a target-based budgeting approach to set baseline services for departments. "The most important thing is to make sure the commission has accurate data to make a decision," she said, arguing commissioners must see one-, two- and five-year effects before approving tax changes.

Tanner told listeners the auditor’s office runs about 20–25 internal audits a year and operates a fraud-tip hotline that routes concerns for immediate review. She said the office should publish its audit schedule and post results and recommendations so departments and the public can track follow-through.

On a recent incident in which incorrect tax rates were entered into the county system, Tanner said automation plus human review reduces risk: "Anything we can do to help prevent human error is super important," she said, noting the county is working with IT to generate rates automatically and to require a second set of eyes before submission to the state.

Tanner also said she wants clearer, more accessible budget information on the county website (not just links to the state’s Transparent Utah site) so residents can see how taxpayer dollars were spent and whether programs delivered expected results.

She framed the auditor’s office as a resource for departments rather than a "roadblock," emphasizing teaching and collaboration while retaining the ability to recommend corrective action to the commission when problems persist. Tanner closed by saying the auditor answers "to the taxpayer," and that openness and follow-up are the primary accountability mechanisms.

The podcast host, Charles Maxwood, a Utah County Republican Party vice chair, ran the interview as part of a neutral series of candidate conversations intended to help delegates make informed choices at the convention.