Thank you, Civil Beat, for seeing the 800 lb gorilla in the cookie jar. Audit is mentioned and ignored over and over, like ignoring it will make it go away. Convenient ignorance is a pattern, covering corruption and overcharge--ostensible theft. Now this audit may need a subpoena, proving that it's needed. The missing money may be found where it doesn't belong, and then it may be retrieved. The State of Hawaii is not responsibly managed. It cowers to campaign donors as the voters allow, with a blind eye to waste and corruption. Kirk Caldwell inherited this ulcer but seems constrained in finding a solution. What competant manager could watch a budget double without digging into waste, corruption, overcharges, malfeasance and more? Then again, why bother with so much more money available in another gouge on tourism? An audit begins with each check stub reviewed for amount, comparison to reasonable charges in that trade, comparison to budget projection and, oh, common sense.