Herb Morgan

• Office: Controller
• Election Date: June 2, 2026
• Candidate: Herb Morgan
• Due Date: April 7, 2026
• Printable Version

Thank you for seeking GrowSF's endorsement for the June 2, 2026 primary election! GrowSF believes in a growing, vibrant, healthy, safe, and prosperous city via common sense solutions and effective government.

As a candidate for state office, your day-to-day responsibilities in office will affect not just San Francisco, but California as a whole. As a representative of the people of California and of San Francisco, the policies you bring to Sacramento should reflect the best of what we have to offer.

The GrowSF endorsement committee will review all completed questionnaires and seek consensus on which candidates best align with our vision for San Francisco and have the expertise to enact meaningful policy changes.

We ask that you please complete this questionnaire by April 7, 2026 so we have enough time to adequately review and discuss your answers.

• Your Policy Goals
• Your Leadership
• The Issues
• Personal
• Thank you

Your Policy Goals

We'd like to get some details about your high-level goals and how you intend to use your elected office to achieve them.

What policies do you hope to change or preserve by running for Controller? Please be specific, and list them in order of priority.

1. Implement full transaction-level transparency across all state spending through a public, real-time financial reporting system.

2. Modernize oversight using AI-driven tools to detect fraud, waste, and improper payments.

3. Enforce timely and accurate financial reporting, including meeting all federal audit deadlines.

4. Strengthen accountability in high-risk programs through targeted audits and corrective action requirements.

Why those policies?

California manages hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, yet financial reporting remains fragmented, delayed, and difficult for the public to access. Without transparency and modern oversight tools, fraud and inefficiencies persist unchecked.

Explain why your #1 goal is your #1 goal.

Transparency is the foundation of accountability. If Californians cannot clearly see where their money is going, it is impossible to detect misuse, enforce discipline, or rebuild trust in government.

How will you build the coalition and political capital to enact your #1 goal? What obstacles will you face, and how will you overcome them? Will the power of the office of Controller be enough to achieve this goal?

I will build coalitions by focusing on transparency as a nonpartisan issue that benefits taxpayers, local governments, and policymakers alike. Obstacles will include bureaucratic resistance and institutional inertia. I will overcome these by using the Controller's authority to audit, publish findings, and increase public visibility, creating pressure for compliance. The authority of the office is sufficient to significantly advance transparency through reporting, audits, and public disclosure.

Will the power of the office of Controller be enough to achieve the other goals?

The Controller's office can drive substantial progress through audits, reporting standards, and public disclosure. Some broader reforms, particularly structural changes, will require collaboration with the Legislature and Governor.

What is an "out there" change that you would make to state/local government policy, if you could? For the purpose of this question, you are not constrained to the office of Controller.

A fully transparent, blockchain-based public finance system where every taxpayer dollar is traceable in real time from allocation to expenditure.

Your Leadership

We'd like to learn more about your leadership style and plan to execute effectively once you assume office.

Why are you running for Controller?

I am running because California needs a Controller who treats oversight as a core responsibility, not a formality. Missed deadlines, incomplete reporting, and lack of transparency have put billions at risk and eroded public trust. I will bring discipline, transparency, and accountability back to the office.

In your own words, what are the core constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the Controller?

The Controller serves as California's chief fiscal watchdog, responsible for overseeing financial reporting, auditing government programs, ensuring proper use of public funds, managing disbursements, and providing accurate financial information to policymakers and the public.

What makes you uniquely qualified for this position?

I bring nearly 40 years of experience in finance, including managing billions of dollars as a Chief Investment Officer. My background includes risk management, financial oversight, and ensuring accountability in complex financial systems—skills directly aligned with the responsibilities of the Controller.

What three measurable outcomes should Californians use to evaluate your success after your first two years in office?

1. All required state financial reports and federal audits are completed and submitted on time.

2. A public transparency platform is launched with transaction-level visibility into state spending.

3. A measurable reduction in improper payments and identified waste across major programs.

The Issues

Next, we will cover the issues that voters tell us they care about. We hope to gain a better understanding of your policy positions, and we hope that you use this opportunity to communicate with voters.

The Controller's Office holds billions in unclaimed property for Californians ($14B, to be exact! See https://www.sco.ca.gov/eo_pressrel_27021.html). What is the current return rate, and what specific goal would you set to improve it? How would you communicate these funds' availability to the public more effectively?

California's Controller's Office is safeguarding roughly $15 billion in unclaimed property belonging to millions of residents, yet the current return rate remains unacceptably low—recent years have seen only about $300–400 million returned annually, equating to roughly 2–3% of the total holdings and far below what a true safekeeping program should achieve. Attorney William Palmer's long-running lawsuits (including Taylor v. Yee/Cohen, Peters v. Cohen, and related actions) have repeatedly accused the office of systemic due-process violations—such as inadequate individualized notice, premature sale of securities, and treating the fund more like a revenue source for the General Fund than a trust for rightful owners—highlighting exactly why reform is overdue. As Controller, I would set a clear, ambitious goal: double the annual returns to at least $600–800 million within my first term, while pushing the long-term reclamation rate above 50% through proactive data-matching, automatic small-claim returns, and real-time public dashboards for transparency. To communicate availability more effectively, I would launch a robust, year-round multilingual outreach campaign—integrating targeted alerts via banks, DMV, tax filings, and digital ads; simplifying claims with pre-filled forms and direct deposit; and partnering with community organizations—turning this passive lost-and-found into an active, accountable service that reunites Californians with their own money swiftly and fairly.

The Controller oversees local government financial reports. What is your evaluation of the current system? And what single reform would most improve accuracy and timeliness of those filings? Finally, how will you measure progress across California's 58 counties?

The current system is inconsistent, fragmented, and often delayed. The most impactful reform would be implementing a standardized, real-time digital reporting system across all jurisdictions. Progress will be measured by on-time filing rates, reduction in reporting errors, and improved public accessibility of financial data.

If you identified misuse or inefficiency in a major state program, what steps would you take to ensure accountability while maintaining agency cooperation? Include one example of a prior situation where you improved oversight or fiscal outcomes.

I would conduct a thorough audit, publish findings transparently, and require a corrective action plan with measurable benchmarks. I would work collaboratively with the agency while maintaining clear accountability standards. In my financial leadership roles, I have identified inefficiencies within large portfolios and implemented stronger oversight controls, improving reporting accuracy and reducing risk.

How would you strengthen California's long-term fiscal resilience—through debt management, reserve policy, or improved cost transparency? Provide one specific metric or report you would create or publish regularly.

I would strengthen fiscal resilience through improved cost transparency and disciplined financial reporting. I would publish a quarterly “California Financial Health Dashboard” that includes cash flow, liabilities, and program-level spending to provide a clear picture of the state's financial condition.

The Controller serves as California's chief fiscal watchdog. What specific modernization efforts (technological, procedural, or staffing) will you prioritize to make oversight faster, more accurate, and more transparent? Please cite one precedent or model you would emulate.

I will prioritize AI-driven fraud detection, centralized financial data systems, and real-time reporting tools. I would draw from private-sector financial systems and federal improper payment tracking frameworks that use data analytics to identify risk and improve oversight.

How will you ensure that state and local spending data are both accurate and accessible? What new tools, dashboards, or reporting standards would you implement—and how would you measure whether they're working?

I will implement standardized reporting formats, real-time public dashboards, and open-access data tools. Success will be measured by increased public usage, reduced reporting errors, and faster completion of audits and financial reports.

The Controller must work with the Legislature, Governor, local governments, and the public. How do you build coalitions across political and institutional divides to achieve results? Provide an example from your professional history.

I focus on shared outcomes rather than political differences, using data and transparency to align stakeholders. In my financial career, I have worked across multiple teams and institutions to implement oversight improvements that required coordination and cooperation among parties with differing priorities.

The Controller's office is a political role, but requires nonpartisan oversight. Please provide examples from your experience that demonstrate to voters you will oversee this office with principle and integrity.

My career has been grounded in fiduciary responsibility, where decisions are based on data, risk, and accountability—not politics. I have consistently prioritized transparency, accuracy, and responsible stewardship of financial resources.

Personal

Tell us a bit about yourself!

How long have you lived in California? What brought you here and what keeps you here?

I am a lifelong Californian. I grew up in Southern California and built my career here. My family, community, and commitment to improving the state keep me here.

What do you love most about California and/or your hometown?

California's innovation, unique culture, and economic potential.

What do you dislike the most about California and/or your hometown?

The lack of accountability in government spending and the consequences it has for taxpayers.

Tell us about your current involvement in the community (e.g., volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, civic and professional organizations, etc.)

I have been involved actively in educational philanthropy. I am a member of San Diego's Friendly Sons of St Patrick. I'm an active volunteer with Theta Chi Fraternity. I was twice a mayoral appointee and board president of the San Diego city employees retirement system. (SDCERS). And a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Thank you

Thank you for giving us your time and answering our questionnaire. We look forward to reading your answers and considering your candidacy!