Lawmakers Request Audit of Transportation Agency : Bankruptcy: Local legislators want to know how much the OCTA has to help the county with its debts.

A group of state legislators, most from Orange County, on Thursday formally asked for an audit of the Orange County Transportation Authority, which has been trying to fight its public perception as a cash-rich agency reluctant to help the bankrupt county.

“We’re not alleging anything or suspecting misconduct,” said Peter Henderson, chief of staff for state Sen. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove). “Because of the bankruptcy situation, we think it’s important [to get] a full disclosure of assets available for the taxpayer.”

Lisa Mills, assistant chief executive officer of the OCTA, said the agency welcomes an audit.

“We are very supportive of it,” Mills said. “We think it will dispel the myth that OCTA has money available that is not already committed to projects.”

OCTA is the richest agency in the county, but its funds are restricted by mandates, officials have said.

But state lawmakers from Orange County have expressed concerns that the local transportation agency isn’t bearing a fair share of the financial burden in the county’s bankruptcy recovery.

The audit was requested by six state legislators, five of whom are from Orange County, in a letter to Assemblyman Robert J. Campbell (D-Martinez), chairman of the audit committee.

“For several months, despite numerous attempts to obtain detailed information on OCTA’s finances, we have not been able to secure data that we believe is both accurate and complete,” the letter said.

But Mills said the OCTA always has been eager to provide officials with information about its budget.

“Our books have always been open,” Mills said. She added that officials from the state legislative analyst’s office spent more than six hours in OCTA offices Tuesday going over the books.

“We have given them all the information they asked for, and we will continue to do that.”

Also signing the letter were Ross Johnson (R-Fullerton), Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove), John R. Lewis (R-Orange), Jim Morrissey (R-Santa Ana) and William A. Craven (R-Carlsbad).

A state legislative committee will consider their request Sept. 5.