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Auditor: Hillsborough Elections Office Was Uncooperative

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 7, 2009

TAMPA - A Hillsborough County auditor said today that managers at former elections supervisor Buddy Johnson's office either ignored his calls or canceled meetings as he tried to gain access to financial records.

Dan Pohto, audit director for the Circuit Court Clerk, reported to county commissioners today that he could not give a thorough accounting of $2.33 million in cost overruns at the elections office because he couldn't get necessary records or help from Johnson's staff.

The commission asked the clerk's office to conduct the audit on Dec. 17 after Johnson sent his chief of staff to ask for a budget supplement of $2.33 million. The commission wanted the audit done in two weeks so it would be ready by the time incoming elections supervisor Phyllis Busansky took office Jan. 6.

But Pohto said he was hamstrung by the resistance of supervisors at the Johnson's office to meet with him.

"We were four days into the 14 days with three holidays and very little access to records," Pohto said.

Among the spending he could not verify were payments to Premier Elections Solution for election equipment, including new optical scan machines. Today, Bill Roberts, representing Premier, said the supervisor's office still owes the company $2.1 million. The bill includes $1.7 million, which represents the last payment on a $5.7 million contract for the machines, plus another $400,000 for ballot boxes, additional hardware and software.

Busansky assured commissioners she would have the financial mess straightened out in 60-90 days. The commission approved $300,000 that Busansky requested to pay for a contract with a financial advisor to go through the records and report his findings.

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