Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat has selected Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Roger Thompson as the co-chair of the newly created Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) oversight committee.
“Roger Thompson is a tireless worker, detail-oriented, and creating problem solver. It is why he excelled as Senate Appropriations Committee chair, and it is why he will do a great job as co-chair of the LOFT oversight committee. I appreciate his willingness to take on this important role,” said Treat. “LOFT will be a game-changer for the Legislature and the public in holding state agencies accountable. Armed with objective data and research from LOFT and not the agencies themselves, legislators will be able to make more informed decisions when setting budgets and evaluating program performance. LOFT will enhance and increase transparency and accountability and I’m very eager for the organization to take shape and begin its work.”
House Speaker Charles McCall also will name a co-chair for the oversight committee. Both Treat and McCall are expected to pick other members of the committee soon.
Thompson believes LOFT will create an opportunity for lawmakers to be better stewards of taxpayer money.
“I appreciate Pro Tempore Treat’s leadership and vision for LOFT, and I thank him for trusting me with this important job,” said Thompson. “As Senate Appropriations chair, having more information and research from a source other than the state agency will be a remarkable tool to help us dive deep in evaluating performance and creating the state budget. I am excited for LOFT to begin work and provide objective information to lawmakers and the public.”
