LA CONTROLLER, KENNETH MEJIA: I only have 7 auditors for the entire city of Los Angeles, and our (audit) teams are about 2 to 3 auditors and it could take up to a year to finish. That's why you could only see me do 1 to 3 audits a year

Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia “I am the city's accountant, auditor, and paymaster” overseeing $35 billion in spending

🚨 He says if he performs an audit to provide transparency and California Democrats don’t like his findings, they cut his staff. Last year they cut… pic.twitter.com/NMkikwgKB5

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) August 24, 2025

Hey everyone.  This is Kenneth Mejia, your Los Angeles City Controller here to ask you all for your help. 

Now if you don't know, I am the city's Accountant, Auditor, and Paymaster.  I am your independent watchdog over the city's funds and your tax dollars. Do you all want to know how much money I oversee annually, or try to?  $35 billion dollars more than that actually.  Those are all the Departments including the Airports, Harbor, and LADWP.  But the truth is my office is nowhere near staffed to sufficiently and proactively provide that oversight for you all, that independent oversight that you all want.  

And so one of the big things that we're doing right now is we're getting involved in the Charter Reform process.  The city's Charter is like the constitution of the city: what's in it, goes.  And so right now we have the opportunity to change it and update it.  And one of the big things we're fighting for is an independent budget.  Because right now, my budget is controlled by the mayor and city council. So if I do an audit, if I provide transparency, and it's something that they don't like, I could face retaliation and budget cuts just like what I faced last fiscal year, where I lost 27 positions or 15% of my entire staff positions.  

So I need your help.  If you don't want me to provide that oversight, please help me do it.  For context and numbers, just so you all understand, I have two accountants for nearly 40 departments to approve and review their invoices.  We are so short staffed that sometimes we just get rushed and rushed and called all the time and it's to the point where like we don't even have time to review and to sufficiently review it and provide that oversight for you all.  In addition, I only have 7 auditors for the entire city of Los Angeles, and our (audit) teams are about 2 to 3 auditors and it could take up to a year to finish.  That's why you could only see me do 1 to 3 audits a year just because of how little my staff is.  In addition, I only have 5 fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) investigators for the entire city.  And last year I received over 700 (FWA) claims.  Anyways, I'll put the link and instructions in the caption.  Please help us out, y'all.  That's just 1 of 6 recommendations . . . .