San Diego County could be a model for other counties if we undertake the necessary steps to shore up guidelines on awarded contracts with financial performance oversight and active risk monitoring over the length of the agreement.
This is important because contracted work represents $2 billion of taxpayer funds or roughly a quarter of the $9 billion-plus county budget. According to a newly released review by outside auditors, San Diego County currently has few rules or criteria to monitor how contractors perform or the risk they pose to overall operations.
If I am elected as your next treasurer-tax collector, I will make it a priority to be actively involved in establishing a county-wide framework to monitor contractor agreements to ensure that our tax dollars are being spent wisely. I will recommend that we create a standardized set of guidelines for all departments when it comes to contracting compliance.
And in my department, we will install a financial warning system that will flag a contract that is failing to meet specified benchmarks or when a contractor’s performance is below standards.
While the county was commended in the recent audit for having a clearly defined bid selection process, training for staff and rules for who has authority over contracting decisions, the county’s many departments would benefit from support by the treasurer’s office once a new contract is in in force.
The issue that prompted the audit was how the county awarded millions in contracts to a nonprofit whose top financial executive has been charged with embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
If elected treasurer, I will personally watch over taxpayer income to ensure that we are fiscally responsible. As a CPA and business owner, I have spent four decades doing exactly this kind of work: finding inefficiencies, protecting every dollar, and delivering results.
San Diego County taxpayers deserve nothing less.
Shirley Nakawatase is a candidate for San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector in the Nov. 3 general election.
Want to submit a letter to the editor, guest column or opinion piece? Find our guidelines and submission form here.
