St. Louis, MO  (KTRS)  A comprehensive audit will be conducted on the City of St. Louis.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway made that announcement during a press conference.in downtown St. Louis on Wednesday.

“My audit will be a thorough and independent review of how taxpayer dollars are managed and will hold government accountable to taxpayers,”  Galloway said. “It’s also clear that citizens have concerns that we can address through this process, and I want to ensure their voices are heard.”

This action comes at the request from the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in response to a citizen petition drive.

“I have already charged my team with reviewing past recommendations to provide a sense of what progress has been made since the last state review,” Galloway added. “My audit will also take a fresh look at how public resources are spent and how city business is conducted.”

As part of the process, Galloway will hold a series of public meetings with city residents in the coming months. She will also be releasing her findings throughout the review.

The audit is estimated to cost the city $1.25-1.75 million. The last state audit on the city took two years to complete.

Citizens can also provide information for consideration by contacting the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov or by calling 800-347-8597. Concerns may also be submitted anonymously online at auditor.mo.gov/hotline.