Several Brentwood residents told 40 South News this week they were concerned that Patrick Toohey, Ward 4 alderman and candidate for mayor, had been using the initials for a certified public accountant (CPA) when his license had expired.
Leslie A. Buechter, auditor/investigator for the Missouri Board of Accountancy confirmed that Toohey’s CPA license expired in 2013.
When contacted by phone this week Toohey said he let the license expire because he hadn’t practiced public accounting since 2007. He’s currently a financial specialist at PNC Bank.
On Sunday he said he paid the fee and renewed his license. It will become active in about a week.
Update: As of March 3, Toohey’s CPA license was again active.
“Someone made an issue of it, I called the board and said just reactivate it, and it’s not an issue,” he said.
“I didn’t know that if I say CPA I have to say ‘inactive’. I thought it just meant I couldn’t practice public accounting when it was inactive,” Toohey said Sunday. He said he thought ‘CPA’ was similar to ‘president’, which is still used after someone is no longer president.
He said he could do book keeping or tax work, but “if I went out signing opinions and doing audits and telling people your books look good, that’s when it would be a big deal.”
Toohey said he’s looking forward to the election, and campaigning on his record.
“There’s been great progress since 2011, and I’m proud to be a part of that,” he said. “Reserves in 2011 was 3.9 percent, now we’re up to 25.”
He also said with the changeover coming on the board of aldermen after the election, it would be good to have a mayor with city governing experience.
Toohey is running against Mark Wilson and Chris Thornton in the election.
“Someone made an issue of it, I called the board and said just reactivate it, and it’s not an issue,” he said. As a current CPA, it’s not that easy. CPA’s have to adhere to continuing education requirements each year. Unless he has satisfied this requirement you can’t simply call and renew it.
When he said that he ‘is’ a CPA; was he a CPA? No, he wasn’t.
So, he lied about being a CPA. Does it matter? Probably not. Apparently, a person with Brain Damage can go get their licence renewed, just by showing up at the CPA licencing office.
So, he didn’t tell the truth.
Given the general tenor of the comments, this is not looking good. Brentwood is in strong need of clarity in our next mayor, and close observations of the laws and ordinances. Starting off by stating non-fact is not the kind of character clarity we are needing.
Seems to me there is some character mudslinging going on and I was hoping that this would not be the case in this election. We need to find out about where Pat Toohey, Mark Wilson and Chris Thorton stand on the issues that will effect Brentwood in the future. This is a non issue for me as CPA is just a title and he was one in the past just not practing now.
I find Mr. Toohey’s admission troubling because it calls into question his character and judgment, and whoever succeeds Mr. Kelly as mayor needs to possess impeccable character and judgment in order to pull our beleaguered city out of the muck and restore our collective trust in city government. For Mr. Toohey to continue to represent himself as a CPA after he stopped being one tells me that he lacks integrity and judgment. He knew his license had expired. Wouldn’t “Former CPA” still have been an asset worth boasting about on the campaign trail? After all, he’s running for mayor — not chief financial officer, auditor, or comptroller. I’m really tired of bush-league opportunists asking for our vote. I think Mr. Toohey took a liberty here, hoping it would improve his election prospects. When you combine this with his aerial self-promotion stunt at Maddenfest, you can’t help but conclude that this guy is a lightweight who wants to be mayor entirely too badly.
We definitely do not need more “murky waters” in our next mayor. Good post.
One earns credentials as a CPA. It is an honor and a distinction in the accounting field to have passed the CPA exam.
I myself have a CPA certificate proudly framed on my wall. The expense of maintaining a state license is not required when working outside public accounting.
While i may have allowed my state licensing to lapse I still proudly consider myself a CPA.
Missouri State Law says that an individual is not allowed to use the CPA title, unless they have an “active” license. This law took place in 2000. Anyone who became licensed AFTER 2000 cannot use the CPA title after their name, if their license has lapsed. It is against state law. After seeing this article, I called the state office to get these facts, because I am not familiar with this particular profession and it’s licensing laws. Apparently, according to the Executive Director, this specific license is the most abused, as far as individuals using the title, and not actually having the license. Seems unfortunate for the profession itself.
Untrue. 20 CSR 2010-2.200 Use of the Title Certified Public Accountant and Display of CPA
Licenses (the relevant section) says that a person can’t offer certain services and put CPA after their name. In addition, one may not use it “except in a resume or qualifications prepared in connection with an application for employment.” Quoted from the statute. I’d say Mr. Toohey is certainly applying for employment with the Bentwood government.
Thank you Cheryl. Appreciate your post. I too was interested and
I found on the mocpa.org site a reference to the use of inactive, retired or ret. in conjunction with CPA when one is retired and no longer maintains an active public license. I will follow up on how one best represents their historical professional credentials based on current MO state law. Many of us received our licenses PRIOR to 2000.
Its good to see that this race is getting off to the usual backbiting and character attacks that have been the hallmark of Brentwood politics for the last few years.
Tax Accountant, Patrick Toohey Explains What To Look For When Hiring A CPA
June 20, 2014
Patrick Toohey CPA
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Just because it is after April 15, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about taxes until April 2015. Tax Accountant, Patrick Toohey of Toohey & Wray, LLP explains how hiring a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) can help you plan for next year so there are no negative surprises in the form of big tax bills. A CPA is not only able to help you deal with filing your taxes each year, but should be a valuable part of your financial management team who you consult several times a year and not just in April. Simply put, a CPA is not just a score keeper but a trusted advisor, Toohey explains.
A CPA can help you understand your overall tax situation with regard to planning for starting a new business, changes to annual income or personal situations (such as getting married) as well as help you map out a sound plan for saving using the correct type of accounts while you are working now so that you will pay less tax when you need that money for retirement. Toohey & Wray, LLP is tax preparation partnership. Toohey & Wray is ideal for clients that are small business owners or high income earners that need the expertise of a CPA, but are not quite ready to engage with a full time accounting firm.
Toohey explains, “We view our relationships with our clients as ongoing partnerships, and we pledge to provide quality, up-to-date tax return preparation and advice, whatever the tax planning and preparation needs—whether the client is an established business owner or a traditional W-2 employee that has in the process of developing their own start-up company.” He adds, “The primary benefit we offer is that our dedication to our clients doesn’t stop after April 15. All through the year, we keep up-to-date on current tax laws to minimize your tax liabilities and to maximize your future opportunities.”
According to Toohey, it is important for those starting their own business, undergoing significant income changes or dealing with complicated tax issues not to try to “go it alone.” He does not recommend trying to file complicated taxes using online programs or one of those tax services that only pop up for a month or two in stores and malls around tax time. Toohey explains, planning is key to maximizing tax savings and minimizing tax bills, those types of services are not able to look at your unique situation in detail and create a custom plan addressing all of your needs.
Toohey began his professional career working in the accounting field for 10 plus years. He has experience working in both public and private accounting organizations. While working for the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, Toohey focused on auditing companies in the Financial Services sector. It was during this time that he first began to develop in interest in the Financial Services industry. He enjoys accounting, but felt something was missing in the services that he could offer to his clients so he began working in the Financial Services sector as well.
In 2013, he joined S.D. Smith Financial due to its philosophy of putting clients’ needs above the firm’s needs. However, Toohey has kept his roots in the accounting world, preparing tax returns during the tax season while also working for his clients as a Financial Advisor. This allows him to plan for his client’s financial future with an emphasis on both growth and future tax savings. Toohey is a Certified Public Accountant licensed with the Missouri State Board of Accountancy.
To learn more about Patrick Toohey visit S.D. Smith Financial at: http://www.SDSmithFinancial.com. Or check out his LinkedIn profile at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/patricktoohey. Offices are located at 230 S. Bemiston Avenue, Suite 1450 Clayton, MO 63105. Toohey can be reached by phone at (314) 590-2120.
Seriously? He is comparing himself with a president? And he didn’t know he couldn’t use the title as long as he wasn’t practicing public accounting? But he thought it was ok to use the title?? How transparent is this? How honest is this? Incredible…….
Geez….give him a break. What difference does it make? Typical Brentwood election antics. Yea lets focus on this nonsense rather than some real issues. Watch out Toohey, here comes the marbles and jam.
What difference does it make? Well, if I need medical advice and select a doctor from a list of names all with MD behind them, I don’t want to be seen by someone who had lost their license or let it expire….I would expect the title to be legitimate and current. If Toohey wasn’t practicing taxes, then why use the title? If he knew it meant nothing, then why bother trying to promote himself dishonestly? I’m glad this came to light. There might be residents who want to know that someone running to be their next public official is easily confused by the law, or perhaps doesn’t think the law applies to him.
I completely agree, Laura.
Try this litmus test as it relates to Toohey or any other candidate running for Brentwood Mayor: How could it be any worse than the last 22 years of the Kelly/Kurtz group? On that team; “retired” lawyers with a development agenda who aren’t really retired, Tif dizzy developers and bankers, phoney religious people, (they’re the worst, you know attend church sometimes daily and when nobody is looking talk behind your back, send out hate mail, hire public relations firms who specialize in election antics and dirty tricks,) “public servants” who serve on city boards and commissions and end up profiting from a new development while they give the appearance of legitimizing things by “abstain” from critical votes, on and on and on. I’d recommend everyone vote for Toohey based only on the notion that he had the balls and imagination to hire an airplane to buzz the homecoming carnival with his name on it. That may be a little to forward for those in Brentwood who would prefer to have their transparent government delivered to them by the likes of the Jamboretz firm, but hey times are a changin!
I agree too, Laura.
I think a CPA certification is more akin to a Registered Nurse, Certified Physical Therapist, or any other professional field that requires re-certification that includes active practice in the discipline. This may just a misunderstanding of the weight of re-certification for CPAs. I had state and national certification as a requirement for my employment–or no employment. CPAs may have different rules.