Lynn Hogan, a county employee since 1988, has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $2 million from the county. Over the past nine years, an employee with a drug addiction outsmarted the Santa Barbara County Auditor-Controller's Office. Their lax internal controls, antiquated financial systems, and incompetence led to theft that went on for nearly a decade. Luckily for taxpayers, a newly hired frontline employee from the Tax Collector's Office immediately noticed irregularities and reported those to a supervisor.
Since the theft was discovered, the current auditor-controller and Betsy Schaffer, the assistant auditor-controller, have not made any significant changes. The county remains at risk.
On June 5, voters will have an opportunity to elect a new Santa Barbara County auditor-controller. I ask that you vote for Jennifer Christensen. Jennifer currently serves as the county's chief investment officer. She manages a $1.6 billion portfolio for the county, public schools, and special districts. I've worked with Jennifer for many years, and I can assure you that she is not only highly qualified for the job, but her honesty, integrity, commitment to her job, and commitment to our community is unmatched. Jennifer will safeguard taxpayer money.
As a concerned taxpayer, I urge you to vote for Jennifer Christensen on June 5.
