Governor Jim Doyle may be calling for layoffs of state workers, but a legislator says there's one area where the state needs more hiring. "We have close to a billion dollars in back taxes and penalties that are owed the state state," says State Senator Fred Risser. "We just don't have the capability of collecting it because we have a limited number of number of auditors."
State Revenue Secretary Roger Ervin said in March that he didn't actually want any more auditors — but Risser says that not all Ervin said. "He indicated that an average auditor brings in a about $1.9 million a year, and it costs about $120,000 to hire the auditor."
In a report to the Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs, Risser concludes that given the state's current fiscal situation, the amount of delinquent taxes owed, and the positive return on investment of hiring more auditors, it would appear prudent for Wisconsin to do that.