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Legislative Post Audit finds uneven evidence incentives work; calls for clearer goals and better data
Summary
Legislative Post Audit told the Senate Commerce Committee that repeated reviews of state incentive programs show the same patterns: unclear statutory goals, spotty or unreliable data and mixed evidence that foregone revenues are recouped in tax receipts.
Kristen Roddinghouse, deputy director at Legislative Post Audit, told the Senate Commerce Committee that recurring findings across two dozen incentive audits point to the same core problems: unclear statutory purposes for programs, inconsistent or incomplete data collection, and difficulty measuring return on investment.
LPA highlights and findings
- Star bonds: For several STAR bond districts LPA used anonymized mobile‑phone visitation data and found most attractions did not meet Commerce’s stated out‑of‑state visitation targets. Its cost‑recovery models suggested the state would need several decades to recoup foregone sales tax at evaluated projects. LPA recommended Commerce collect reliable visitation statistics and that the Legislature clarify program goals.
- Industrial Revenue Bonds and…
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