Auditor-controller faces multitude of challenges
I support Karen Paz Dominguez for Auditor-Controller because she is brilliant, talented, compassionate, and an effective leader, has introduced new technology to the office, has fixed a broken payroll system. Unlike most in government she was prepared for the pandemic; having secured laptops so her staff could function from home. She has tried to institute policies and procedures which could free the office from problems that have persisted for years and years.
She has faced intense opposition from the entrenched culture of the administration state of the county even before she was first elected. From my personal experience, the County administration and several of its departments suffer from a cultural inertia fueled by resentment of change and I trust nothing of what they have presented. In my opinion, there is a crisis and it is with the administration itself, and not the Auditor-Controller office.
In my view, these people don’t want to change their methods for two primary reasons: It means more work, and they don’t want to be told what to do by someone like Karen. That’s what I believe it comes down to. They fought with her even before she came to office. They have relentlessly pressed and pressed and pressed for the board to take some sort of action against her. The board refuses to get a leash on the staff, and in my opinion, the censure vote during the election campaign constitutes a brazen attempt to influence the election as it did nothing to protect staff and after four years the report could have been discussed in June after the election. The constant meetings which constitute little more than rant sessions against an elected official over whom they have limited authority make me wonder if they are loaded up with free time. And dragging her to the meetings, sometimes hours long, only reduces the time which she can devote to the issues they’re screaming about.
I know AC Karen Paz Dominguez. I trust her integrity and honesty. While I have not always been a fan of her communication style, what we have been witnessing is a slow witchburning over the past few years simply because she demands what her predecessors didn’t — substantiation of the costs submitted. Receipts. Time sheets. Vendor contracts.
These past couple of years have been extremely challenging. The pandemic has wreaked havoc to businesses and governments alike across the globe and permanently altered the way we operate. No Humboldt County Auditor-Controller has faced the challenges of this last term. KPD has met these challenges with grace and competence despite these challenges and has introduced changes that will mitigate future crises. Her staff has been supportive publicly and privately. She has the respect and support of county Auditor-Controllers across the state, as well as the next State Controller. She has and will continue to advocate for the independence and transparency of the Auditor-Controller office. Please vote for Karen Paz Dominguez for AuditorController on June 7.