There is a petition for a forced audit of Taney County Ambulance (TCA) going around the county. This page serves as TCA's means of communication to the citizens of Taney County to provide them with accurate and up-to-date information.

If you have any questions, please send them to auditinfo@tcad.net and we will try to be of assistance.

We are posting information in a Q & A style format, which we will try to keep updated as the facts, rumors, and accusations shift.

Update 1/30/08: Missouri Highway Patrol concludes investigation and finds no criminal activity! You can read the report here.

(Last updated 1/30/08)

TCA Audit Q & A
Q: Does the Hancock Amendment forbid Taney County Ambulance District from collecting fees when they are also tax supported?
	A: No, this issue was settled almost 20 years ago by the Missouri Supreme Court in Keller vs. Marian County Ambulance District, 820 SW2D 301, 304 (Mo. En Banc 1991).
Q: Just how much of my sales tax goes to TCAD?
	A: TCAD is funded by a ¼ cent sales tax and monies collected for ambulance service. The sales tax is not collected on groceries, gas, or medicines. So if you were to spend $2,000 a year for other items in Taney County, $5.00 would go to TCAD.
Q: How much does it cost to be transported in an ambulance?
	A: The average charge for an ambulance trip is about $400. Since we are partially supported by sales tax this amount is much lower than other ambulance services in our area.
Q: What is the cost of the proposed audit and who pays the bill?
	A: The exact cost is not known until the audit is completed. The current estimate of the cost (according the the petition) is $16,000 to $24,000. The bill for the cost will be paid by TCAD, which is funded by taxes and fees collected from Taney County residents and visitors.
Q: How many signatures are required to force a state audit of TCA?
	A: The number of signatures is equal to the GREATER OF 750 or 10% of the actual votes cast in the last election for governor (19,137) in Taney County. This makes the total number of signatures required approximately 1900.
Q: Wouldn't it be a good idea for TCAD to have its finances audited to check for any fiscal irresponsibility? The $16,000 to $24,000 estimated cost of the audit seems worth it.
	A: A state audit would investigate TCAD's compliance with state laws. Even if this petition audit goes through and forces TCAD to do a state audit, it would not be a financial audit.
Q: I have heard that there is an criminal investigation into TCA's finances by the Highway Patrol. What is the status of that?
	A: The investigation has been completed. No criminal activity was found and no criminal charges will be resulting from the investigation. You can read the prosecutor's report here.
Q: I've heard rumors of nepotism. Is it true that a board member has appointed his daughter as am employee at TCA?
	A: No, our board members' only appointed employee is the Executive Administrator. The board does not appoint subordinates for the Executive Administrator. Subordinates are hired through a standardized process in which board members do not vote.
Q: Did TCA pay an employee to go on a personal ATV race for his son?
	A: We looked at a couple of ambulances from Penn Care in Niles, Ohio. An employee's son had a race in the area at the time. This employee volunteered to evaluate the ambulances for the district on his own vacation time. TCA paid for his motel, return trip and part of his mileage. Being able to partially remunerate this employee due to his generosity was a savings for the district vis-a-vis paying 100% remuneration and salary to send someone up there exclusively to evaluate the ambulances. We ended up purchasing them for a very good deal, and you can see them on the road as TCA-5 and TCA-11.
Q: Is it true that TCAD has not had an audit for 25 years?
	A: No, the Board of Directors has an independent audit done every year with a certified third-party accounting agency that audits both financial and state statute compliance. The results of these audits are available upon request.
Q: I think the audit is a good idea. Whom may I contact to sign the petition?
	A: You may contact Mr. Wayne Harding or Mrs. Gloria Harding at (417) 334-6643.
Q: I have signed the petition and am having second thoughts. Is there any way to have my name removed from the petition?
	A: Yes, contact the state auditor's office at 1-800-347-8597.
Q: I like to research things on my own. Are there any references I might look up to see information on petition audits?
	A: Yes. . . The Missouri State Auditor has a website for exactly this: http://www.auditor.mo.gov/petition/petition.htm. We have a public board meeting every third Tuesday of the month. You're invited. If you would like to schedule a tour of the ambulance district operations to see first-hand what we do, we would be happy to arrange such a thing.