Malia M. Cohen

• Office: Controller
• Election Date: June 2, 2026
• Candidate: Malia Cohen
• 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.

My top priority is protecting California’s long-term fiscal stability while ensuring government works for working people. My priorities are to:

• Strengthen accountability and transparency in state spending, including modernizing audits and public financial reporting so taxpayers can clearly see how dollars are spent and whether programs are delivering results.

• Preserve California’s commitments to public education, healthcare access, climate resilience, and infrastructure investments, especially during periods of economic uncertainty and federal instability.

• Expand economic inclusion by increasing contracting opportunities for small businesses, women-owned businesses, and businesses owned by veterans and historically underrepresented communities.

• Improve oversight of homelessness and behavioral health spending to ensure funds are producing measurable outcomes and being coordinated effectively across agencies.

• Modernize state financial systems and improve cybersecurity protections to make our government more efficient, responsive, and secure.

Why those policies?

California has the fourth largest economy in the world, but people are still struggling with daily housing, gas, and grocery costs. The Controller’s office has a unique responsibility: safeguarding taxpayer dollars while helping ensure our government delivers results.

These priorities reflect my belief that fiscal responsibility and equity are not in conflict. Californians deserve both competent stewardship of public resources and investments that improve quality of life. Strong oversight helps protect public confidence, especially at a time when people are skeptical that our government can solve problems effectively.

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

My number one goal is strengthening accountability and transparency in state spending, because public trust is foundational to everything else we hope to accomplish. If Californians do not believe taxpayer dollars are being managed responsibly, it becomes harder to sustain investments in education, healthcare, transportation, housing, and climate programs. The Controller’s office is uniquely positioned to provide independent oversight, conduct audits, improve transparency tools, and identify inefficiencies before they become crises.

Good government is not an abstract principle — it directly impacts whether communities receive services effectively and whether taxpayers feel respected.

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?

Building this coalition starts with demonstrating that accountability benefits everyone regardless of ideology. Taxpayers, labor, local governments, advocates, businesses, and legislators all want public dollars spent effectively.

The Controller’s office has substantial authority to advance this goal through audits, public reporting, transparency initiatives, and fiscal oversight. While the office cannot unilaterally rewrite policy across government, it can shape behavior through accountability, public visibility, and partnerships that create pressure for reform.

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

The Controller cannot singlehandedly enact all policy changes, but the office has significant influence through fiscal oversight, audits, public accountability, pension board leadership, contracting oversight, and financial reporting.

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.

I would focus on addressing California’s housing crisis.

We can’t move forward if Californians struggle to find affordable, stable housing. I am working hard to expand housing availability at all income levels so our residents can build their future in our state.

As Controller, I am creating incentives that will increase affordable housing units. I recently approved $804 million in bond authority for affordable student housing, allowing maximize resources and keep building more affordable housing for students across the state. I also serve on the First-Time Homebuyers Financing Committee and the Veterans’ Home Finance Committee. Prior to becoming Controller, in my role leading on Proposition O in San Francisco, I helped create more than 12,000 new homes, 32 percent of which were affordable housing. I’ll continue to prioritize and incentivize the development of more affordable housing and work to provide assistance to first-time homebuyers.

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’m running for California State Controller because I believe the State of California must be both fiscally responsible and accountable to the people it serves. Californians work hard and pay taxes, and they deserve confidence that public dollars are being managed transparently, efficiently, and equitably.

Throughout my career in public service, I’ve focused on balancing budgets, improving financial oversight, and expanding opportunity. The Controller’s office plays a critical role in protecting the state’s fiscal health while helping ensure government programs deliver real results for communities across California.

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

The Controller serves as California’s chief fiscal officer and chief accountability officer. The office is responsible for managing the state’s accounting and payroll systems, issuing payments, auditing government agencies and local entities, administering unclaimed property, and helping safeguard taxpayer dollars through independent fiscal oversight. In short – I’ve got the receipts.

What makes you uniquely qualified for this position?

As the current California State Controller, I serve as the state’s chief fiscal officer, safeguarding the finances of the world’s fourth-largest economy. I am running for re-election to ensure taxpayer dollars are managed with transparency, accountability, and fairness.

I was born and raised in San Francisco and understand firsthand the promise of California and the urgency of protecting it for future generations. A working mom, lifelong Democrat and dedicated public servant, I believe budgets are moral documents that should reflect our shared values and invest in people, not special interests. As Controller, I have strengthened fiscal transparency by expanding public access to financial and payroll data, giving Californians a clear view of how public dollars are spent. I have released timely monthly cash reports to help keep California fiscally strong during economic uncertainty, reunited all 58 counties with millions in unclaimed property, and honored local governments for excellence in accurate financial reporting. I have also advanced the long-overdue modernization of California’s payroll system to better serve public workers statewide.

At a time when trust in government matters more than ever, I am committed to protecting California’s financial future and making the California Dream real for every community.

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

First, we increased transparency by expanding public access to financial and payroll data so Californians can clearly see how taxpayer dollars are spent.

Second, we maintained strong fiscal stewardship through timely cash reporting, responsible budgeting, and stronger accountability across state and local government.

Third, we improved government efficiency and delivered real results — including returning millions in unclaimed property and advancing modernization of California’s payroll infrastructure.

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?

As Controller, my focus has been on making the unclaimed property program more accessible, transparent, and proactive. In 2025, we reunited all 58 counties with more than $2.3 million in unclaimed property, but there is still more work to do given the scale of assets held by the state.

My goal is to significantly increase claim participation by expanding direct outreach and simplifying the claims process. That includes multilingual public awareness campaigns, partnerships with local governments and community organizations, and modernized online search tools that make it easier for Californians to identify and claim their property.

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?

California’s local reporting system works best when standards are consistent, timely, and transparent, but too many jurisdictions still face outdated systems and reporting delays.

The single most important reform is modernizing and standardizing digital reporting infrastructure statewide. Better technology and clearer reporting standards would improve both accuracy and timeliness.

In 2025, we recognized 46 counties for excellence in transparent financial reporting, and I want to continue raising that standard statewide.

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.

Accountability works best when it is firm, fact-based, and solution-oriented. My approach would be to conduct a thorough review, identify the root causes of inefficiency, issue clear corrective recommendations, and work collaboratively with agencies to implement reforms while maintaining public transparency.

Throughout my career, including my service on the California State Board of Equalization, I have worked to strengthen oversight, improve operational efficiency, and ensure agencies meet their fiscal responsibilities while maintaining productive working relationships across government.

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.

California’s long-term resilience depends on disciplined budgeting, strong reserves, and clear public visibility into fiscal risks and obligations.

I would continue strengthening monthly cash reporting and publish an expanded long-term fiscal outlook dashboard tracking reserve levels, debt obligations, revenue volatility, and major spending trends. Transparent and timely financial data helps policymakers make better decisions before challenges become crises.

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.

One major priority is advancing the California State Payroll System project, which will replace outdated infrastructure with a more reliable and efficient payroll platform. I also support adopting best practices from leading state and local transparency portals that provide real-time, user-friendly financial data to the public.

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 believe transparency only matters if information is both accurate and understandable. That means improving reporting standards while making financial data easier for the public to navigate.

I would continue expanding public dashboards for payroll, expenditures, and local financial reporting while measuring success through reporting compliance rates, public usage data, reduced filing errors, and faster publication timelines.

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.

Coalition-building starts with trust, communication, and focusing on shared goals rather than political differences. I have spent my career bringing together stakeholders across government, business, labor, and local communities to solve complex fiscal and operational challenges.

During my time on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Board of Equalization, I worked across agencies and constituencies to improve financial oversight, modernize operations, and deliver responsible budgets while balancing competing 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.

The Controller’s responsibility is to the people of California, not to partisan interests. Throughout my public service career, I have approached fiscal oversight with independence, professionalism, and a commitment to facts and transparency. That means publishing financial data openly, applying standards consistently, and ensuring accountability regardless of politics. My focus has always been on protecting taxpayer dollars, maintaining public trust, and ensuring that our government operates with integrity and competence.

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 was born and raised in San Francisco, where I now live with my husband and daughter, surrounded by family in the area. I’m proud to be a Californian and will continue to spend my career serving our great state.

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

The people!

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

I was born and raised in San Francisco, and it will always be home to me. What concerns me most is watching longtime residents, working families, artists, and small businesses struggle with affordability and displacement. One of the things that has always made San Francisco special is its diversity, culture, and sense of community, so I believe we have a responsibility to preserve that while continuing to create opportunities for future generations to thrive here.

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

As California State Controller, I currently serve on 70 boards and commissions such as the California Coastal Commission, where we address issues affecting California’s coastline and shoreline communities, including San Francisco. I also serve on entities connected to affordable housing, public infrastructure, pension oversight, and economic development that directly impact local governments and neighborhoods across the state.

Specifically, the California Coastal Commission, California State Lands Commission, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, California Public Employees' Retirement System California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank all connect directly to issues San Franciscans care about housing affordability, shoreline resilience, environmental protection, public employee retirement security, infrastructure investment, and economic recovery. My continued involvement with Emerge California reflects a deep commitment to building a pipeline of diverse women leaders in public office. As a Class of 2005 alumna, I experienced firsthand how the organization’s training helps candidates navigate the political process, and I frequently return to welcome new classes and share insights on what it takes to run.

My trajectory—from local office to becoming elected as California State Controller—embodies the barrier-breaking path Emerge California seeks to create. As the first alumna to rise from local elected office to statewide office, I take seriously the responsibility of demonstrating what is possible for the women following in my footsteps. By staying connected to Emerge California, I hope to reinforce the message that investment in women builds a lasting community of leaders who support one another through every level of public service.

Thank you

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