Who does the City Auditor report to?

As your elected City Auditor, I work for and report to, the residents of Oakland. I do not report to the Mayor or the City Council; I work on your behalf.

Why is the City Auditor Elected?

As an independently elected official, I am able to be objective, impartial and resolute when auditing the City. No one within Oakland’s administration can influence what I look at, how I go about investigating it, or what I find. I am your eyes and ears inside City Hall.

How big is your staff?

The City Charter (Oakland, CA, City Charter §403(4)) sets a minimum staffing level of 14 full time equivalent positions (FTE) for the City Auditor’s Office, except in cases of extreme fiscal necessity. When the City Council declared an extreme fiscal emergency in June 2023, two of the 14 mandated FTEs were frozen during the development of the 2023-25 Biennial Budget. Twelve of these positions are auditors; 2 are administrative. I also receive assistance from the help of contractors, college interns and graduate students.

What is your budget?

The Office of the City Auditor’s budget is currently $3.5 million.

What is a performance audit?

A performance audit looks at more than just money. It is a rigorous analysis of government operations that determine:

• How business processes are working or not working efficiently;
• Whether policies and procedures are effective;
• What internal controls need to be strengthened or implemented; and
• If programs are delivering the results promised to the taxpayers.

Essentially, it is a report card which demonstrates that your tax dollars are being spent as intended.

Why does your office do performance audits?

Performance auditing is a standard practice within government auditing. Every audit we conduct includes specific recommendations for city officials to address the problems our audit identifies. Performance auditing is a critical tool for creating transparency, accountability and effectiveness in Oakland’s government.

How do you choose what to audit?

I select audits by prioritizing the areas of greatest concern in our City. I also listen carefully to all citizens’ concerns. Audits are determined by a combination of factors; including, but not limited to, a program/department’s budget size, vulnerability to Fraud Waste + Abuse, and any prior audit coverage, as well as concerns from citizens, City officials and City staff.

If you have an audit suggestion, please email the City Auditor at: cityauditor@oakandca.gov

What can and can’t the City Auditor investigate?

As your City Auditor, the City Charter gives my Office the authority to audit ANYTHING in Oakland’s City government. There is nothing within the City of Oakland’s public offices that I cannot investigate. You can read more about the City Auditor’s duties and responsibilities here.

What happens after an audit is completed Who is responsible for fixing the problems found in your audits?

All of our audits include recommendations to fix or strengthen the programs and systems that we’ve audited. After an audit is performed, the City Administration is responsible for implementing our recommendations to make the necessary changes. (Per the Charter and to preserve our independence, my Office has no authority in day-to-day management activities, nor the ability to implement audit recommendations.) Later, my Office will return to perform a follow-up audit to determine how well the City has implemented these recommendations. Read more about the audit process here.

If an audit finds evidence of wrong doing, what happens next?

For criminal acts, the City Auditor can refer information to the District Attorney for prosecution. Other evidence of wrongdoing may follow the City’s personnel directives or other internal standards for discipline.

Are audit results shared with City employees and managers?

Absolutely. As part of our audit standards, we work to keep the Administration informed at all steps of the audit process. For every audit, the department or division being audited is invited to prepare a written response, which is then included in the final audit report. Read more about our audit process here.

How do I know I can trust your audits?

All our audits are performed according to Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) guidelines. In April 2019, the Auditor’s Office was found to have met the highest standards in government performance auditing. (To learn more, click here.) This means all our work is based strictly on facts, and each finding has documented evidence. Additionally, it means we adhere to following the GAGAS guidelines with the required planning and supervision, evidence collection and documentation, to conclude with both satisfactory report contents and quality control elements. Read more about audit standards here.

To learn more about our Whistleblower investigations, click here.

How can Oakland residents help?

What can citizens like me do to improve the City of Oakland?
Oakland needs your help to create the level of transparency and accountability that we desire in City Hall. Here are three ways you can help:
• Sign up for our email alert list to stay informed. We will only send out emails when I have something important to say or when I need your help. You can subscribe to our Newsletter here.
• Communicate with my Office about audit recommendations and your concerns; and
• When I issue an audit, read the reports and contact the City Council and the Mayor to ensure the recommendations are implemented.