As part of its response to a coming state audit, Pima County could establish a new committee to analyze bond spending.
The Board of Supervisors will consider the idea today.
The possible action comes after the governor approved a bill that requires an Auditor General audit of the county's 1997, 2004 and 2006 bond programs later this year. The bill was backed by the town of Marana and is part of a continuing dispute between the town and county over wastewater facilities.
Marana Mayor Ed Honea said the county already brags about its current Bond Advisory Committee, and forming a new committee won't help anything.
The existing committee and County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry recommended a new panel, and Huckelberry suggested the members be from the Bond Advisory Committee, Raytheon, Tucson Electric Power and business groups.
The proposed Bond Program Audit Committee would help in the audit process and review the Truth in Bonding code.
Huckelberry said all of the information required by the bill already is available to the public, much of it online at www.bonds.pima.gov
Honea said Marana pushed for a state audit because the county has withheld voter-approved bond funds from the town, "and we feel this is just a punishment because of the sour grapes we have."
He said the state agency will conduct "a true audit."
"We want somebody other than the county, so it's not like a fox hiring a fox to count the chickens," Honea said.
Huckelberry said allegations about changing bond programs to punish the town are "ludicrous."
"The town of Marana should have had the courage to make this specific allegation directly instead of hiding behind and invoking the credibility of the Legislature to conduct a political witch hunt through the Auditor General," Huckelberry wrote in a memo.
Honea said the audit will show Marana hasn't received its share of bond funds.
But Huckelberry said, "The evidence is overwhelming that Marana has benefited far more from the bond program of Pima County than they have paid in taxes to support the program."
Contact reporter Becky Pallack at bpallack@azstarnet.com or 573-4346.
