As part of our voter guide, the Long Beach Post and LAist partnered to ask Long Beach candidates how they’d handle the issues voters said they cared about most. See all the candidates for auditor here and our guides for all the races at LBPost.com/elections.
A recent poll showed that a majority of voters believe waste and mismanagement by the Long Beach city government is an extremely or very serious problem. Is it? How will you restore people’s trust in their local government?
Yes, every tax dollar that is not going where it’s supposed to be going is a serious problem. As City Auditor and a Certified Fraud Examiner, I reinvigorated the City Auditor’s Fraud Hotline at 1-888-FRAUD-07 and made it easy for the public, vendors doing business with the City, and employees to report suspected fraud, waste, and abuse against the City. In addition, I issue an Annual Fraud Hotline Report each year that shows the disposition of each case closed. I post this report on the City Auditor’s website at www.CityAuditorLauraDoud.com. My office is currently investigating the $69 million of funds provided to homeless service providers to determine whether the funds went where they were supposed to go. When our investigation is complete, we will issue our report publicly.
A key role of the city auditor is to deliver reports on how departments or specific programs are performing to understand and demonstrate to the public how money is spent. What specific programs, issues or departments would you look into? Why?
One of my Office’s top priority audits is the City’s Tidelands Fund as it plays a vital role in maintaining the City’s marinas, beaches, and waterfront facilities. A significant amount of revenue flows in and out of the Tidelands Fund, and it has historically relied heavily on oil revenue which is now declining. With the upcoming Olympics and several waterfront venues planned here in Long Beach, the audit is reviewing how the Fund is being managed to ensure it supports critical infrastructure, services, and programs in the Tidelands area. The audit will identify areas to improve how these funds are used, strengthen accountability, and promote transparency.
Oftentimes, in carrying out the role as an internal watchdog, a city auditor can come into conflict with other elected officials and their respective goals. The person elected must navigate this sometimes adversarial relationship, even as the City Council and top city management have say over the auditor’s budget. What is your philosophy for navigating this?
I take seriously the responsibility placed in me to oversee the City’s $3.7 billion budget. I lead a professional office committed to delivering accurate reports on the issues that matter most to our City. While others may debate or be concerned with different priorities and perspectives of the elected officials, my focus will always be providing the public with clear and reliable facts. One example is when I stood up and warned the City Council not to issue $23 million to the Queen Mary operators for repairs on the Queen Mary before I had a chance to review the projects for which the money was to be used. When my audit of that $23 million was complete, it showed that the operators did not spend all the money on the repairs and projects as promised.
Tell voters why you should be elected.
I am a wife, mother, third-generation resident of Long Beach, and your dedicated City Auditor. I have over 30 years of accounting and auditing experience. I am a Certified Public Accountant and work to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent as intended. I am a Certified Fraud Examiner committed to preventing, detecting, and deterring fraud while ensuring accountability for those who commit it against the City. With my law degree, I apply my legal knowledge to analyze contracts and verify the City captures every dollar it is owed. Since serving as your City Auditor, I have generated over $350 million to Long Beach for public safety and public infrastructure. Communication with the public is a top priority, and I post all of our work on my Office’s website at www.CityAuditorLauraDoud.com