The County of San Diego could be a model for other counties if they 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 matters because contracted work represents $2 billion in 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 and/or the risk they pose to overall operations.
If I am elected as your next San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, I will prioritize establishing a countywide framework to monitor contractor agreements and ensure our tax dollars are spent wisely. I will recommend that we create a standardized set of guidelines for all departments on contracting compliance. In my department, we will install a financial warning system that flags contracts that fail to meet specified benchmarks or when a contractor’s performance falls below standards.
While the County of San Diego was commended for a clearly defined bid selection process, staff training and rules for who has authority over contracting decisions, these departments would benefit from support from other departments, such as the Treasurer’s Office, once contracts are in force.
The issue that prompted the review 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.
As San Diego County’s Treasurer, I will personally oversee taxpayer funds to ensure 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 one of two candidates vying for San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. She has spent more than 40 years as a certified public accountant and small business owner.
