Anthony Amore brings more than 30 years of experience in investigations, audits, and inspections to his campaign for Massachusetts State Auditor. His career has spanned both the public and private sector, and he has served as a federal agent, senior Homeland Security Official, and museum security director. He is also the author of three best-selling books, including the New York Times Crime Best Seller The Art of the Con, which dissected high-value fraud schemes in the art world.
As the father of two daughters – with one at UMass – Anthony believes it is time to stop talking about the cost of college and do something about it. As an independent auditor, Anthony will take a hard look at spending and rooting out waste. The answer is not always to increase state funding because throwing more money at wasteful spending only buys you more waste.
An audit of state higher education should examine the true cost of college, whether on-campus or on-line, and expose those factors that drive up tuition and fees. The audit should answer the question: Are students and families are really getting what they are paying for?
Walking across the Amherst campus, Anthony was amazed at all the construction and then saw dollar signs. It’s the parents and students who are paying for it through tuition and state taxes. Is anyone checking to be sure projects are managed properly? Why are there great disparities in similar projects from campus to campus?
Even before the pandemic began, student enrollment was in decline at public colleges and universities. UMass was unprepared for this event which has only been exacerbated since the pandemic. Between 2019 and 2021, state universities have seen a net decline of 11 percent in student enrollment. If our universities aren’t collecting the tuition to pay for their spending habits, then Anthony believes costs should be better controlled.
The Auditor’s Office can, and should, be playing a larger role revealing the cause of the exploding growth in costs at our state colleges and universities. Under Anthony, the Auditor’s Office will root out the wasteful spending that has led to ballooning tuition payments and target a reduced growth in higher education that remains in line with the growth of our state budget.