Watchdog Must Be Independent

Some things never change in the way Ventura County government operates. Political cronyism, for example.

When County Auditor-Controller Tom Mahon announced plans to retire next month--two years ahead of schedule--three members of the Board of Supervisors were quick to endorse Mahon’s hand-picked deputy to complete the term. Only after the latest example of poor performance by the auditor’s office was reported did a fourth supervisor, Frank Schillo, reconsider and say the county should look outside for its next auditor.

The midterm resignation is exactly what Mahon said he would not do when he ran for reelection two years ago. It is the same strategy practiced in the past by sheriffs, the tax collector and others. We believe this dodge is intended to give unfair advantage to members of the closed club of Ventura County politicians.

That is bad for the county because it shuts out new talent with fresh perspectives. It is especially dangerous in the case of the auditor, who should be the voters’ watchdog vigorously overseeing how other county officials spend the taxpayers’ money. An auditor who is steeped in the friendships and alliances of Ventura County government would be unable to perform this critical function.

For proof of this, look no further than Mahon’s performance. The lax oversight and scarcity of real audits that marked seven years as auditor--culminating a 30-year career with the county--have been a major cause of Ventura County’s fiscal difficulties.

It was his office that failed to catch nearly a decade of Medicare overbilling, a mistake that has cost the county $15.3 million in fines. He failed to point out the pitfalls of the failed merger of the county’s social services and mental health agencies.

For these reasons and others, The Times endorsed Stephen Maulhardt when he challenged Mahon in the 1998 election. We called for Mahon’s resignation one year ago, after he waited too long to alert the board of a cash-flow crisis and then did so in panic-producing language that deepened the county’s budget crisis.

Most recently, Mahon neglected to inform the Board of Supervisors about a state finding that the county owes about $7 million to the state because of an alleged miscalculation by the auditor.

Both Mahon’s performance of the job and his untimely exit underscore ways in which the office needs to change. Some of those issues are addressed in the redefining of the county chief administrative officer job description now before the Board of Supervisors.

We support the plan to transfer some budgetary duties from the auditor to the administrator’s office and to add a chief financial officer to assist the county manager. That would leave the auditor’s office free to perform aggressive audits. Bravo.

Filling the auditor’s job until the next election is the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors. We do not favor a costly special election but urge appointment of an interim auditor rather than a full-fledged successor. Outside candidates should be considered as well as Mahon’s protegee, Deputy Auditor Christine Cohen.

We are concerned that Cohen’s 21-year tenure in Ventura County government and close relationships with other department heads would make her no more likely than Mahon to perform vigorous audits.