Burbank Rejects Proposal for Outside Audit

The Burbank City Council on Tuesday night voted down a proposal by Mayor Mary Lou Howard to have outside auditors examine the city’s finances.

Howard first proposed the independent audit when she was appointed mayor last May, arguing that it would answer questions raised during the recent city election campaign about Burbank’s fiscal health.

But Howard’s council colleagues said Tuesday that the outside audit, which would have cost at least $19,000, is unnecessary because the city is scheduled to conduct its own audit within the next few months.

“I don’t feel it’s justified to spend the taxpayers’ money to tell us what we already know, that the city is in good shape,” councilman Bob Bowne said.

After the 4-to-1 vote, Howard said she was disappointed and that she still believes relying on an in-house audit is “ridiculous.”.