By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Missouri's auditor is pushing for changes in the state's Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.
Democratic Auditor Susan Montee says the current program is costly and inefficient.
An audit released by her office Thursday found that just 35 cents of each dollar spent on the program goes directly to housing.
And Montee says the state has obligated a lot of money to date.
"Right now what we're sitting at is $1.27 billion dollars in future obligations through 2007, so it's a huge expenditure to the state," Montee said. "And when you know we're only getting 35 cents to a dollar it's clear that something needs to change in the model we're using."
Governor Matt Blunt said in a statement Thursday that no elected officials should serve on the Missouri Housing and Development Board, which approves the tax credits.
Blunt said that would eliminate the appearance of political influence in the process.
He made a similar recommendation last year.
The governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and treasurer all serve on the board.