Chiang for state controller

In a rematch of their 2006 race, Democrat John Chiang, now the incumbent state controller, faces off against Republican state Sen. Tony Strickland. Voters should ask themselves whether budget-busted California would have been better off had the single-minded Strickland won last time and been responsible for issuing or withholding paychecks, keeping an eye on cash flow and auditing state functions. There are a lot of things the state should have done differently over the last four years, but choosing a different controller is not one of them; Chiang was the best choice then, and his generally good performance during the last four budget meltdowns makes him the best choice now.

In a low-profile office, Chiang has done an admirable job of sharing financial data with the public and spotlighting the depth of the state’s fiscal crisis. That includes making it clear just how little cash the state has on hand to pay its bills when a budget is late, and how serious the financial consequences will be if the cash actually runs out — as it did last year — and Sacramento must issue IOUs. He has proposed creative solutions, such as urging delays in Cal Grant payments while keeping all students enrolled during the interim. When he did have to issue warrants in lieu of paying the state’s bills — because the Legislature and the governor were engaged in a take-no-prisoners budget showdown — the potentially chaotic situation was handled smoothly and in a manner that left frustrated contractors and workers confident that the IOUs were good and would ultimately be paid. At a time when it was fully conceivable that California could become insolvent, Chiang did his part to make sure that didn’t happen.

In this era of making do with fewer resources, Chiang reduced the size of his staff and let go of nonessential functions, but kept intact the core resources he needed to monitor cash flow and get the bills paid. Early in his tenure, when he was correctly criticized for holding on to unclaimed property that should have been distributed to Californians, he stepped up efforts to notify potential claimants.

Strickland has shown little of the quick-thinking adaptability and flexibility a controller needs in the midst of a cash crisis. On the contrary, he is a principled but rigid thinker when it comes to budgeting — his answer to seemingly every problem is to cut spending, even though as controller he would have little influence over spending decisions, which are up to the Legislature. California would be best served with Chiang for another four years.