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The Auditor Controller seat has not been challenged for at least two decades. Incumbent Joe Paul Gonzalez was first elected in 2006, taking over for longtime seat holder John Hodges, who opted to run for San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
The office was previously the Clerk, Auditor, Recorder but was split into two separate offices in 2022. Francisco Diaz ran unopposed for the Clerk-Recorder office.
Gonzalez is facing challenger Laura Garcilazo.
According to the county’s website, the office’s primary mission is to ensure the fiscal integrity of the county’s financial records and to provide service, assistance and information to the public and various county departments and special districts.
According to the candidate handbook, qualifications for the office include possessing a certificate by the California Board of Accountancy showing the candidate to practice as a certified public accountant, a bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting, or business degree that includes at least 24 semester units, or equivalent quarter units, in accounting-related subjects.
Laura Garcilazo who did not provide her age, is a Certified Public Accountant currently employed at a local CPA firm. She lives in Hollister and has worked and lived in San Benito County for over a decade.
Why are you running to be San Benito County’s auditor-controller?
I’m running for Auditor-Controller because the public’s trust has been shaken after $1 million was stolen from the County. Fraud and embezzlement, combined with a state investigation, points to a failure of oversight at the Auditor-Controller’s office. This should never happen in the office responsible for safeguarding taxpayer dollars.
I believe the Auditor-Controller’s office must be proactive, transparent, and firmly committed to safeguarding taxpayer dollars. I am stepping forward to bring stability, rebuild confidence, and implement systems that prevent future issues.
How does your professional experience enable you to successfully manage the auditor-controller’s office?
With over a decade of experience as a CPA, I bring a combination of technical expertise, independent perspective, and public accountability that is well-suited to leading the Auditor-Controller’s Office.
As an accounting professional, I offer fresh eyes and true independence. I am not influenced by legacy practices or internal politics, which positions me to objectively evaluate current operations and implement best practices.
My goal is to build trust by ensuring that the office operates transparently, efficiently, and in full compliance with all applicable standards.
How do you plan to make sure the Auditor-Controller office is transparent with the public?
Transparency must be the standard, not the exception. That means timely, accessible financial reporting and no more delays or lack of clarity when the public asks questions. I will push for clear public dashboards, regular reporting, and open communication with the public and the board of supervisors.
What tools and processes do you plan to utilize to ensure public funds are managed properly?
We need to move from reactive to proactive oversight. That means strengthening internal controls, enforcing separation of duties, and conducting regular independent audits.
I will prioritize modern financial systems that allow for real-time tracking and accountability. But tools alone aren’t enough—the office must have a culture of vigilance and independence. Policies must be enforced consistently, and no one should be above scrutiny.
Protecting public funds requires both strong systems and the willingness to act when something isn’t right.
The California State Controller’s Office is investigating San Benito County’s internal financial control systems, but the county is struggling to maintain adequate staffing. What support could the state provide for the county to implement any recommendations that may arise from the audit?
The $1 million stolen from the county was not because of the lack of staffing but because procedures and internal controls were not followed. Even well-staffed offices can face serious problems without strong systems in place and proper training.
The state can play an important role by providing technical assistance and guidance on best practices. This could include access to state audit experts, training programs for local staff, and resources to modernize financial systems. Ultimately, collaboration between the county and the state will be essential to ensure that recommendations are properly implemented.
Joe Paul Gonzalez, who did not provide his age, is San Benito County’s auditor-controller. He was born and raised in San Benito County and has lived in the District 1 area for 30 years. In addition to his current office, he has previously been elected to the Hollister City Council and served as mayor.
Why are you running to be San Benito County’s auditor-controller?
I am running for reelection because I have a deep, personal commitment to protecting the financial integrity of our community. San Benito County is my home. I was born and raised here, My children and grandchildren were born and raised here too.
As auditor‐controller, I bring decades of experience and knowledge at a time when the county has lost many experienced employees and the county’s chief executive officer is new to the job. That loss of expertise makes strong, independent oversight more important than ever.
As the public’s independent watchdog, my responsibility is to safeguard taxpayer dollars, ensure accurate financial reporting, and maintain strong internal controls. Recently, there has been misinformation suggesting that the auditor‐controller supervises department heads. That is not correct. Department heads report to the Board of Supervisors and the CEO. My office does not supervise them, nor do we approve their invoices.
The CEO is responsible for providing department head oversight, including verifying the accuracy and legitimacy of their budgets and expenditures before they reach my office. Unfortunately, this misunderstanding has been used to shift blame away from the root causes toward the office that identifies and reports fraud.
My team and I have consistently caught problems, documented them, and reported them to the proper authorities, including the sheriff, district attorney, and FBI. That is what independent oversight looks like, and that is what I will continue to provide.
I am running to ensure that San Benito County continues to have experienced, transparent, and accountable financial leadership. Leadership grounded in decades of hands‐on knowledge of our county’s accounting systems, laws, and responsibilities.
My commitment is, and always has been, to the residents and taxpayers of this community. As a native son, and a five-term auditor-controller, I love this community. I feel that my many years of experience and job knowledge assists in stabilizing county services during a period of budget austerity.
How does your professional experience enable you to successfully manage the auditor-controller’s office?
My professional experience is rooted in decades of hands-on work in San Benito County’s financial operations starting as an entry-level accountant.
After five terms as auditor‐controller, I’ve developed deep institutional knowledge of property tax administration, transit occupancy tax administration, trial court MOU obligations, State Controller’s Office reporting, governmental accounting, payroll administration, internal controls, audits, and compliance; skills that are essential to running this office effectively, especially now that the county has lost many experienced employees.
In fact, my office represents the last remaining experienced accounting staff in the county, critical to maintaining institutional knowledge and ensuring continuity in County operations.
With the advent of artificial intelligence, the threat of financial fraud has greatly increased, as sophisticated schemes can be executed faster and more subtly than ever before. My office actively monitors these emerging risks and collaborates closely with other county auditor‐controller offices across the state to implement state-of-the-art best practices for prevention, detection, and mitigation.
By combining human oversight with advanced technology, we can proactively safeguard public funds while capitalizing on AI-driven opportunities to make county financial operations more accurate, transparent, and responsive.
How do you plan to make sure the auditor-controller office is transparent with the public?
Transparency is one of the core responsibilities of the Office of Auditor‐Controller, and it’s something I take very seriously. The public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent and managed, and my office already operates with that principle at the center of everything we do.
First, we follow strict state laws and accounting standards that require open, accurate, and timely financial reporting. That includes publishing on the county’s website annually the County’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Single Audits, and Adopted Budget information. Under my stewardship, the county has consistently earned the national Certificate of Achievement of Excellence from the Government Finance Officers Association for accurate, transparent, and accountable financial reporting. From the State of California Office of the State Controller, my office is recognized annually with the Award for County Financial Transactions Reporting.
Second, my office documents every claim, every transaction, and every decision we make. When issues arise, documentation and transparency allows the county to catch the problem, report it to law enforcement, and work with the sheriff, district attorney, and FBI to get to the truth.
Third, I make sure our processes are clear and consistent. Department heads are responsible for verifying the accuracy and legitimacy of their invoices before they come to us, and we will not pay invoices without the required documentation and approvals for proper oversight. These safeguards protect the public and ensure accountability at every step.
Finally, I believe in open communication. When residents have questions, when the media asks for information, or when concerns are raised, my office responds with facts, documentation, and clarity. That’s how trust is built.
My commitment is simple: the public deserves honest, accurate, and accessible information about how their money is being managed. As auditor‐controller, I will continue to uphold that standard every single day.
What tools and processes do you plan to utilize to ensure public funds are managed properly?
Properly managing public funds requires strong internal controls, clear processes, and consistent oversight, and those are the tools I rely on every day as auditor‐controller.
First, we use established governmental accounting systems that track every dollar from the moment it enters the county to the moment it is spent. These systems are designed to prevent errors, flag irregularities, and ensure that all transactions comply with state and federal law.
Second, we maintain strict internal controls. That includes separation of duties, documented workflows, and multiple layers of review so that no single person can authorize, process, and release a payment. These controls are essential for preventing fraud and ensuring accuracy.
Third, we require every department head to verify the accuracy and legitimacy of their invoices before they come to my office. We review every transaction and do not pay invoices without the required documentation and approvals for proper oversight.
Fourth, we conduct regular reconciliations, and perform audits, both internal and external. These reviews help us catch issues early, correct errors, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used exactly as intended.
Finally, we maintain open communication with law enforcement and oversight agencies. When issues have been identified , we have documented everything, and immediately report it to the sheriff and district attorney, and work with them to bring in the FBI, if needed. That collaboration is a critical tool for protecting public funds.
Together, these systems, controls, and partnerships create a strong framework that ensures public money is managed responsibly, transparently, and in full compliance with the law. My commitment is to continue strengthening these safeguards so the public can have full confidence in how their tax dollars are handled
The California State Controller’s Office is investigating San Benito County’s internal financial control systems. But the county is struggling to maintain adequate staffing. What support could the state provide for the county to implement any recommendations that may arise from the audit?
The State Controller’s audit is an important opportunity to strengthen San Benito County’s internal controls, but the county is facing real challenges. Many department heads and long-time key staff have left, taking decades of institutional knowledge with them, and our CEO is new to the job. That loss of experience affects the accuracy and completeness of the financial information submitted to my office.
As the public’s independent office, it relies on departments and leadership to provide accurate, verified, and fully documented information. I do not supervise department heads or the CEO, but the quality of their submissions directly affects the county’s financial integrity. That’s why state support will be essential.
First, the state can provide training and capacity‐building, not only for my staff, but also for the county’s department heads and the CEO, who are responsible for verifying the accuracy of the information they send to the auditor‐controller. With so much turnover, rebuilding that knowledge base is critical.
Second, the state can offer technical assistance and subject matter experts to help update policies, procedures, and financial systems. Many of the controller’s recommendations require specialized expertise, and having state professionals guide the process ensures the county implements them correctly.
Finally, we need clear communication and collaboration throughout the process. My office has always been committed to transparency and accountability, and with the right partnership, we can strengthen the county’s financial systems in a way that protects the public and restores confidence.
In short, the state can help by providing training, expertise, and ongoing guidance, especially for the departments and leadership whose accuracy and compliance are essential to safeguarding public funds. However, it is important to recognize that no training or oversight will make up for the fact that they have lost employees, cut positions, or if there is an exodus of employees leaving county service. This needs to be addressed.
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