New auditor seeks to restore trust
Former bank official ready to take on challenge.
New state auditor seeks to restore trust

By Michael McNutt

Published: July 11, 2008

Oklahoma's new auditor and inspector says his top priority is restoring public confidence and trust in the office.

"I believe the taxpayers of the state of Oklahoma deserve somebody to fulfill this office that's qualified,” said Steve Burrage, a longtime Antlers banker and a certified public accountant. "I have the time to do it. I relinquished daily operations of my bank a couple years ago and I look forward to serving the taxpayers of Oklahoma.”

Burrage, a Democrat, was appointed Thursday by Gov. Brad Henry, less than a month after Jeff McMahan resigned as state auditor after a federal jury convicted him and his wife on three felony corruption-related counts.

Burrage, 56, began his duties Thursday after being sworn in by Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Steven Taylor.

Burrage met Thursday with the auditor's staff and said he expects to make no changes.

He said he wants to gain the trust and respect of the office's staff and employees.

"They have done an outstanding job of fulfilling the duties of that office in absence of the previous auditor,” he said.

Burrage said he intends to seek election to a full four-year term as auditor in 2010.

Before being sworn in as auditor, Burrage said, he resigned from two posts — a state board that provides group insurance for state employees and the Oklahoma City branch of the Federal Reserve Bank.

Burrage has more than 30 years experience in banking and accounting. He has led FirstBank of Antlers since 1982, serving as its president and chief executive officer. He is now chairman of the board.

He also is a certified public accountant and was a partner in Burgess and Burrage Certified Public Accountants from 1977 to 1982.

"It is extremely rare that you have someone of the caliber of Steve Burrage who is willing to step out of the success that they've had in the private sector and step into the public sector,” Henry said.

"Steve has impeccable credentials and a reputation that is beyond reproach,” he added. "Steve Burrage is without question the most qualified auditor and inspector in our state's history.”

Burrage, the father of three grown children, earlier had won races to serve on Antlers' city council and school board.

He is the brother of Michael Burrage, an Oklahoma City attorney and a former U.S. District judge, and the uncle of state Sen. Sean Burrage, D-Claremore.

Campaign records show Steve Burrage donated $4,000 to Henry's 2006 re-election campaign.

Henry, a Democrat, said he considered members of both political parties.

Applicants included Republican Michelle Day, the acting auditor since McMahan resigned last month.

She had been running the office since January after McMahan was indicted and he turned over daily operations to Day, the deputy auditor and the office's attorney.

Henry said Day and her staff have done "a great job” under difficult circumstances.

"That office has (been) run without any question of difficulty or impropriety,” the governor said. "I hope that Michelle will continue to work side by side with Auditor Burrage.”

Gary Jones, the Republican who narrowly lost to McMahan in 2002 and 2006, also applied.

"It's the governor's appointment to make,” said Jones, now chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party.

In 2007, Henry appointed Jim Roth to the Corporation Commission to replace Denise Bode, who went into the private sector. Roth, a Democrat, is seeking election to fill the remaining two years of the term.

Jurors last month found Jeff and Lori McMahan illegally accepted excessive campaign money, jewelry and trips from southeastern Oklahoma businessman Steve Phipps.

In return, the state auditor, with his wife's help, provided favors for Phipps' abstract companies, the jury determined.

Jurors found the couple guilty on one conspiracy count and two counts of violating the Travel Act to promote bribery. The Travel Act counts involve trips the McMahans took at Phipps' expense in 2003 and 2004.

Jurors acquitted both on five mail fraud counts.

The McMahans are awaiting sentencing.

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