What is a State Controller?
Clip | 1m 11sVideo has Closed Captions
The California State Controller oversees how the state disburses money.
The California State Controller oversees how the state disburses money; and at $190 billion, California has one of the biggest state budgets of all 50 states.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Ballot Brief is a local public television program presented by PBS SoCal
What is a State Controller?
Clip | 1m 11sVideo has Closed Captions
The California State Controller oversees how the state disburses money; and at $190 billion, California has one of the biggest state budgets of all 50 states.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Ballot Brief
Ballot Brief is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
You#re going to be voting for a new state Controller soon.
Now that#s a strange title.
Controller of what?
Controller over the state#s money.
The Controller is California#s chief accountant and bookkeeper.
All the money that the state disburses to vendors, cities, state employees is handled by the Controller#s office.
It also issues retirement payments, Medi-Cal payments, tax refunds and the payroll for nearly 230,000 state employees.
The Controller#s office also has the power to audit.
So if it suspects a department or agency it can investigate and issue reports.
No one likes to be audited.
The Controller#s office also runs the #unclaimed property They keep hold of any unclaimed money from bank accounts, un-cashed checks, stocks or bonds, until the rightful owner come forward to claim them.
How could people forget they have money?
Finally the Controller#s office issues regular financial reports to the governor and lawmakers to let them know how California is doing money-wise.
The whole thing is a big job considering that California has the biggest state budget of all 50 states -- $190 billion dollars.
Clip | 59s | This Public Service Announcement was produced by The California Endowment. (59s)
Villaraigosa Blasts Trump on Immigration
Clip | 5m 28s | Former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke on Day Four of the 2016 Democratic Convention. (5m 28s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 19s | The California Secretary of State oversees everything, running state and federal elections (1m 19s)
Reporter Roundup: Why L.A. is Voting | Oct 27
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m | On this episode: local reporters discuss the issues driving people to vote in 2020. (5m)
Reporter Roundup: Voting, Health Equity | Oct 28
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 5m | On this episode: audience voting questions, the food truck industry and health equity. (5m)
What is the Board of Equalization?
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 24s | The Board of Equalization was created to make sure county taxes equally spread across the state. (1m 24s)
Now PlayingVideo has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 11s | The California State Controller oversees how the state disburses money. (1m 11s)
California Superintendent of Public Education
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 6s | This official oversees everything from statewide curriculum standards to school facilitates. (1m 6s)
Testing Voter Knowledge: What's on the Ballot?
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 1m 44s | People iare quizzed on their knowledge about the upcoming CA primary election. (1m 44s)
Clip | 59s | What would it take for California to leave the United States? (59s)
Why Are Millennials Disenchanted with the System?
Clip | 2m 5s | Dan Schnur talks about why young Bernie Sanders supporters are no longer engaged in the election. (2m 5s)
Political Expert Dan Schnur: This Is the Craziest Election
Clip | 1m 13s | Dan Schnur discusses why 2016 has been such a crazy election year. (1m 13s)
Prop 61 - Prescription Drug Prices
Clip | 1m | California's Prop 61 explained in under a minute. (1m)
With Reform Fervor in the Air, Local School Board Elections See Record Outside Spending
Clip | 11m 14s | Huge amounts of money are flowing into the school board elections this year. (11m 14s)
Clip | 7m 14s | When it comes to local politics, no one seems to care in Los Angeles. (7m 14s)
Super PACs and New Election Rules Are Changing the Game in California
Clip | 6m 23s | All politics may be local, but the dollars are definitely long distance. (6m 23s)
Video has Closed Captions
Clip | 54s | California holds an open primary, which means you don't have to vote along party lines. (54s)
Political Satirist Will Durst on 'The Bounce'
Clip | 2m 6s | Political satirist Will Durst talks about "the bounce," following the national conventions (2m 6s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
- News and Public Affairs
Top journalists deliver compelling original analysis of the hour's headlines.
- News and Public Affairs
FRONTLINE is investigative journalism that questions, explains and changes our world.
Support for PBS provided by:
Ballot Brief is a local public television program presented by PBS SoCal