“I am tough and I am thorough,” explained Nicole Galloway, Missouri’s state auditor.

Galloway, who joined St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh on Thursday, detailed what her job entails, explained her ongoing audit of the City of St. Louis and addressed the mood in Jefferson City as Gov. Eric Greitens’ felony invasion of privacy trial is set to get underway May 14.

Galloway’s audit of the City of St. Louis began a few months ago and will likely take several years. Part of the audit, Galloway explained, will be a review of development incentives.

An update to an annual report released in February showed tax increment financing and other incentives cost the city and its school district nearly $30 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

“We are going to look at the administration of those TIFs, and part of that is looking at the financial impact of some of those TIFs on the city budget in general and how those costs are tracked, and maybe how the return on investment for some of the dollars are tracked,” Galloway explained.

She said residents are talking about developer subsidies at meetings she’s held throughout the city.

Galloway is auditing the city at the request of the Board of Aldermen, although a group of citizens had been collecting signatures to force one.

In Jefferson City, the auditor said that Gov. Greitens’ legal troubles are creating uncertainty.

Galloway, one of only two Democrats to be elected statewide, did not comment specifically on the felony charges against Greitens, a Republican. However, she explained that she is most concerned about the impression people have of the state.

“I know that how we are perceived nationally and internationally matters to people in their communities,” Galloway said. “It matters for business development. It matters for job creation and employers bringing jobs here.”

Greitens is charged with a single count of felony invasion of privacy for allegedly taking a semi-nude photo of his then-mistress without her permission. He has pleaded not guilty.

Greitens is also facing questions about how he used a list of donors to his charity, The Mission Continues, in the gubernatorial race.

St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer, Evie Hemphill and Lara Hamdan give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.