When asked about the Church’s lack of financial reporting by a reporter in 2002, then LDS Prophet, Gordon Hinkley responded as follows:
REPORTER: In my country the…we say the people’s churches, the Protestants, the Catholics, they publish all their budgets, to all the public.
HINCKLEY: Yeah. Yeah.
REPORTER: Why is it impossible for your church?
HINCKLEY: Well, we simply think that the…that information belongs to those who made the contribution, and not to the world. That’s the only thing. Yes.
The LDS Church has not publicly disclosed its financial statements in the United States since 1959… even to its tithe payers.
[footnote] Finances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Wikipedia [/footnote]
Audio of the interview: