Auditor scandal ends stellar career

Craig Sorensen's resignation Monday marked the end of a remarkably long and generally lauded career as Salt Lake County auditor.

Sorensen, 57, was auditor for more than 25 years, longer than anyone else currently serving in an elected Salt Lake County government office — longer, in fact, than anyone in Salt Lake County as far back as records exist (generally to the mid-1850s).

"He is probably, in the last 50 years at least, the longest-serving county official in the state," said Utah Association of Counties associate director Mark Walsh. "There have been county officials around the state that have served probably longer, but they're very rare. . . . Serving 25 years is no mean feat."

Sorensen was first elected county auditor in 1978, when Jimmy Carter was president and polyester leisure suits and disco were still all the rage.

Earlier this month it was discovered Sorensen had been buying gasoline for personal use with a county gas card. He admitted guilt in his resignation statement and is cooperating with Salt Lake District Attorney David Yocom, who plans to file charges this week.

During his seven successful campaigns for county auditor, Sorensen styled himself the county's "watchdog" — keeping tabs on the other elected offices, the budget and finances in general — making his downfall all the more ironic.

"When you get a guy like Craig who comes along and uses the slogan 'the watchdog of the people,' there's a tendency to really take that slogan to heart," Walsh said. "I bought into that slogan."

Sorensen's career has included 17 national awards for excellence in financial reporting, and many attribute the county's AAA bond rating, gained during his tenure, in large part to him.

"This (resignation) ends what has otherwise been an absolutely stellar career in the auditor's office," county Councilman Joe Hatch said.

A bond rating of AAA with all three national bond-rating agencies is extremely rare — only 20 counties out of more than 3,000 nationwide enjoy that distinction, according to chief deputy auditor David Beck. "It's a major accomplishment," he said. Beck is acting in Sorensen's stead until an interim auditor is named.

Sorensen's tenure was not completely smooth. From time to time, for example, other departments complained he conducted some audits for political reasons or took credit for things he didn't uncover.