HELENA -- Democratic governor hopeful Brian Schweitzer said Wednesday that he can probably cut $60 million a year in state spending by commissioning a performance audit of state spending practices.

Schweitzer, if elected governor in November, said one of the first things he would do in office would be to create an independent audit panel to hunt for state programs and expenses that are unnecessary, outdated or duplicative.

The panel would include small business owners from across the state, captains of large businesses, state employees and city and county officials, he said.

''As a businessman, I know how important it is to challenge every expense and get the most for your money," Schweitzer said. ''As governor, I'll see to it that state government takes the same common sense approach with the people's money."

But his opponent's choice for Lt. Gov., House Appropriations Chairman Dave Lewis, R-Helena, said such an extensive audit would be costly for a state that's long been tightening its financial belt. Schweitzer faces Republican Secretary of State Bob Brown in the general election.

''We're talking big money for this kind of thing," Lewis said. ''And we don't have that much waste in state government, given the pressure that state budgets have been put under in the past few years."

The 2003 Legislature started the last session $242 million in the red.

Schweitzer, however, said the audit wouldn't cost much since the independent audit panel would rely on volunteers.

Legislative auditors routinely do financial audits, ensuring that expenditures and revenues fairly represent what state agencies are reporting and looking to see that state agencies are in compliance with rules, laws and regulations. The independent legislative auditors hit every state agency on a biannual, rotating schedule.

But state auditors are not currently doing the comprehensive audits Schweitzer is calling for, said Jim Pellegrini, deputy legislative auditor. While the legislative auditors do conduct specific performance audits of certain agencies, they only do so at the request of the lawmakers who sit on the legislative audit committee, he added.

Arizona is expected to save $843 million by fiscal year 2008, New Mexico is expected to save $379 million over five years and Texas has saved $8 billion since it began a regular performance review process in 1991, studies show.

Schweitzer said the independent panel would target administrative and overheard expenses like travel, furniture purchases, telecommunication charges and energy expenses.