The race for Contra Costa Auditor-Controller is a rerun of 2014. Same two candidates. And, for the sake of the county, voters should produce the same results.
They should once again re-elect Robert Campbell, who has worked in the office for 27 years and has a detailed understanding of the requirements and nuances of the job.
He has run the office with integrity and transparency since he assumed the top post nearly 7 1/2 years ago. He faced no election opposition in 2010, and received, and deserved, 78 percent of the vote in 2014, when he ran against challenger Ayore Riaunda.
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Unfortunately, Riaunda, an accountant in the county’s health department, is running again and, like four years ago, flails with claims about how the auditor’s office could be better run. But when asked to explain the specifics, it quickly becomes apparent that he doesn’t understand the functions and authority of the office he seeks to run.
He also seems to think that as auditor he should somehow use the post to carry out his progressive agenda. That’s a clueless and scary notion. The last thing Contra Costa needs is to politicize the office charged with ensuring the integrity of the county’s fiscal records.
Contra Costa needs an auditor-controller who understands the job and has the knowledge to carry it out. That person is Campbell.
