Long Beach voters are about to choose who watches City Hall’s wallet. On June 2, the city auditor race is a head-to-head primary between incumbent Laura Doud and challenger Ginny Gonzales, and with only two names on the ballot the contest is set to decide who runs the office that handles audits, fraud investigations and the auditor’s annual work plan.
What the city auditor does
The city auditor serves as Long Beach’s in-house financial watchdog, tasked with auditing city spending and revenue, reviewing contracts and evaluating how well city programs perform. The office also runs the city’s fraud hotline and online reporting form, investigates potential fraud and issues required annual reports, according to the City Auditor’s office. Under the city charter, the auditor has independence over staffing, while the City Council controls the office’s budget.
Incumbent's record
Doud, a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner who has held the job since 2006, points to revenue-generating audits as the signature of her tenure. As reported by the Long Beach Post, she says audits during her time in office have produced more than $350 million in additional funding for the city. According to LAist, her 2007 audit of the city’s oil production tax led to Proposition H, a voter-approved change that continues to help fund public safety programs.
Challenger's pitch
Gonzales is a private-sector CPA and retired IRS auditor who argues the office needs an outside perspective and “fresh eyes.” The L.A. County Democratic Party has endorsed her in the race. Her ballot designation on the City Clerk’s candidate roster is “Certified Public Accountant,” according to City of Long Beach election materials.
Recent audit that shifted the debate
A recent performance audit of the Homeless Services Bureau, covering about $69 million over five years, has pushed the race further into the spotlight. The review flagged billing and documentation concerns and prompted the city to cut ties with its largest shelter contractor, as reported by the Long Beach Post. The auditor’s office has shared interim updates on the work and maintains an online fraud reporting form and a hotline at (888) FRAUD-07 for residents who suspect waste or abuse, according to the City Auditor’s office.
How the primary decides it
The June 2 primary is structured to be decisive. Any candidate who earns more than 50 percent of the vote wins outright, and with only two contenders that outcome is likely, according to City of Long Beach election materials. Voters are directed to those City Clerk pages for ballot deadlines, drop box locations and other voting resources.
Whoever comes out on top will set the office’s audit priorities and shape how aggressively Long Beach chases savings, recovers revenue and polices city contracts. As LAist reported, Doud describes herself as “a tenacious fighter against fraud, waste and abuse,” while Gonzales frames the race as a chance to bring a fresh, outside perspective to local oversight.
