Why I'm Running

I am announcing my candidacy for Los Angeles City Controller. I am compelled to run because I love Los Angeles and want to see it thrive. Like most Angelenos, I am as frustrated as you are to witness the decline of our beloved City.

What sets me apart from the other candidates is that I have worked in various capacities for LA City Government for 25+ years. During that time, I have seen first-hand how dysfunctional our city government can be. I feel compelled to run because I know what’s wrong with the LA Government and what we should focus on to help fix it. 

What I bring to the table is a unique blend of experience in different City departments that run the gamut – from the City Administrative Office where I was a Budget Analyst and oversaw Capital Project Bond Programs, to the Department of General Services, where I served as Finance Director collaborating with various agencies on pubic construction projects, to Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions where I worked as a Chief Financial Officer, and to the Bureau of Street Services, where I currently serve as Assistant Director/Chief Financial Officer.

I have seen the City from many different angles, and I believe that this in-depth experience will be invaluable if I am elected Controller. I am an insider who knows how the City works, and I am also an outsider who is not afraid to challenge the status quo. 

It’s easy for people who have not worked in LA Government to criticize it and make lofty promises to get elected, but I am not interested in empty slogans. What I promise is informed by more than two decades of experience working in and with the City government. I know what the deficiencies are and what we need to focus on to truly address the core government problems.

I am not running for office because I want to be a politician – I am running because I want to help fix this City. Since even before I first interned with City Controller Rick Tuttle nearly three decades ago, I have been passionate about making Los Angeles work better. 

I am running because I believe I can make a real difference, helping to turn our beloved City around. It has pained me to see our City’s $11+ billion budget being mismanaged, corruption run rampant, our homeless and mental health crises worsen, and our infrastructure and quality of life diminish. I believe I can make a difference as City Controller because I have the experience, the knowledge, and the courage to change it.