In this episode, we explore the inspiring story of Laura, a city auditor in Long Beach, who bravely confronted corruption and mismanagement surrounding the iconic Queen Mary. Through her audits, Laura uncovered significant financial discrepancies and fraud, ultimately leading to the city taking control of the Queen Mary after years of failed private management. The conversation highlights the importance of integrity, accountability, and the challenges faced by public auditors in protecting taxpayer interests.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Heroic Auditor
00:52 The Story of Laura: A City Auditor's Journey
01:46 The Queen Mary: A Historical Icon in Decline
06:06 Challenges in Managing the Queen Mary
09:53 The $23 Million Dilemma
13:59 Uncovering Fraud: The Audit Process
17:53 The Aftermath of Urban Commons' Mismanagement
21:54 The City Takes Control of the Queen Mary
26:13 Lessons Learned and Future Plans
ABOUT LAURA DOUD:
As the elected City Auditor of Long Beach, Laura Doud leads an Office that provides independent audits and reviews of operations to make Long Beach better. City Auditor Doud was first elected in 2006, and since then has focused on internal improvements that best meet the needs of the community and provide increased value to the City.
Past recommendations from her audits have resulted in changes to the City Charter and City Municipal Code to improve the security of City assets and bring additional revenues to the City. These increased revenues have allowed the City to provide additional and improved services to the public. She championed the passage of Proposition H – the Oil Production Tax Measure that has resulted in bringing in around $3 million every year, and totaling over $52 million, for public safety including police officers and firefighters at no cost to the taxpayers. Her analysis of the Port of Long Beach transfer to the City led to the passage of the Harbor Initiative resulting in over $259 million for the City’s Tidelands area projects which have included increased beach safety patrol, new beach facilities, the Colorado Lagoon restoration, and Alamitos Bay improvements.
In addition to completing significant audits of the Queen Mary and the Long Beach Police Department, her Office has received nationally award-winning audits of the City’s Towing Operations, Parking Citations Collections Process, Police and Fire Dispatcher Overtime, the Business Improvement District Program, Animal Care Services, the Long Beach Museum of Art, the Police Evidence Control Section, and Library Services. These awards highlighted the significant impact of the audits which focus on effective and efficient government.
City Auditor Doud revitalized the City Auditor’s Fraud Hotline, so tips related to City fraud, waste, and abuse can be reported anonymously by anyone at any time. The Office has received, reviewed, and investigated over 550 tips of fraud, waste, and abuse of City resources resulting in many important corrective action recommendations issued to City departments.
In addition to her public service, she is an active member of her church and supports many community organizations. She serves on the Leadership Long Beach Honorary Board of Governors and the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at California State University, Long Beach. Before running for office, City Auditor Doud was the Controller of the Water Replenishment District.
City Auditor Doud graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a degree in accounting. She earned her law degree (JD) at Pacific Coast University School of Law. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). She lives in Long Beach with her husband, Jim, and their daughter, Kelly.