FRESNO, CA— Is it possible that the average person has no idea what the auditor-controller/treasurer-tax collector for the Fresno County does?
Perhaps the majority of us do not know, and take this elected seat for granted, assuming that our cities will be governed the right way for the right reasons, but are we truly choosing the right person to be in charge of this seat?
After talking with candidate Alan Cade Jr. this past Sunday night on online TV show, The Conversation, hosts and viewers received a quick lesson on the importance of the Fresno County auditor-controller/treasurer-tax collector elected seat, and why we may want to pay better attention this upcoming primary June 5th election to this section of the ballot.
If one were to go to the Fresno County’s website, the verbose job description would include the following departments under the guidance of the auditor-controller/treasurer-tax collector:
Administration which includes clerical services to all Fresno County departments, compliance and ordinance checks and balances which comprises of handling all budgets, county donations, contracts and grant monitoring.
The two main units of the financial reporting and audits division (FR&A) work together to inspire public trust by safeguarding the County's financial integrity and ensuring compliance with fiduciary responsibilities and professional mandates.
The general accounting department includes an automated financial system and all information processed through it, to handle payment of all county obligations and to ensure compliance with the County Budget Act, and to process the County’s payroll on a biweekly basis.
The revenue collections unit provides professional collection and billing services for the resolution of debts owed to Fresno County using collection enforcement techniques comparable to those used in the business sector but always mindful of the County's interest in the welfare of its residents.
The special accounting unit calculates countywide tax rates, maintains records on long-term bond indebtedness and processes bond principal and interest payments for various entities, validates special district checks and processes various check types via the County's financial system.They also prepare the County-Wide Cost Allocation Plan.
The tax collection unit collects secured and unsecured taxes for all County taxing agencies, providing information to the general public, governmental agencies and other county departments.
Finally, the treasurer division includes depository for funds of county departments and other public agencies, developing and administering the short-term borrowing program, investing all available funds deposited in the County treasury, business licensing for the County, and collecting and processing of property tax and revenue reimbursement payments.
Luckily Cade, a native of Sanger, CA, has the background to handle these in-depth money matters the public may not be aware of, and yet it affects the people of Fresno County’s entire financial future: he received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and economics and M.B.A. degree with an emphasis in accounting and finance from Fresno State; he served 11 years as the deputy auditor-controller, 8 years as the county investment officer and 2 years as an internal auditor.
Cade also practices what he preaches in the classroom: At Madera Community College and Reedley College he is an accounting and business instructor teaching students and managers financial management, the principles and theories of business finance, including the tax environment,cash-flow analysis, working capital management, effect of financial and operational leverage, capital budgeting and cost of capital analysis.
At Fresno State and Fresno Pacific University, Cade is also a lecturer and instructor of forensic accounting, which is using accounting skills to investigate fraud or embezzlement and to analyze financial information for use in legal proceedings.
Watch Cade’s interview on The Conversation to find out more about his investigative accounting revelation he uncovered in 2016 regarding the current Fresno County Board of Supervisors.