State Controller Malia Cohen attends a Chinese New Year celebration in San Francisco’s Chinatown in February. Has she done a good enough job to deserve reelection?

Pop quiz: Who is the California controller, and what does the office do?

Many voters may not know much about the controller, but the job could be one of the most important in the state.

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Among the controller’s duties is serving as California’s accountant and handling payroll for state employees. More importantly, the controller is California’s internal auditor and investigates state agencies and local governments if they are not spending their money properly. 

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With the Trump administration and Republicans hyper-focused on waste and fraud in blue states, California must show that it is on the up and up, and the state controller plays a key role in that. (Remember,........

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