LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Kenneth Mejia became the first Asian American to hold citywide elected office in Los Angeles when he became city controller four years ago, and he is seeking a second and final term Tuesday, facing a challenge from Zach Sokoloff, a top executive at Hackman Capital Partners.
Mejia — who is Filipino — won the most votes of any controller candidate in the city’s history in 2022, defeating then-City Councilman Paul Koretz. The 35-year-old incumbent has said he wants another four years as the city’s chief financial watchdog.
Mejia, a certified public accountant, has touted his record of keeping the city transparent and accountable by conducting audits, creating public dashboards, and discussing spending issues via social media. He has a strong online presence alongside his two trusty companions, corgies Killa and Kirby, using social media to inform residents about L.A.’s finances.
Under Mejia’s leadership, his office uncovered a $23 million fraud case that led to the arrest of Alexander Soofer, the executive director of Abundant Blessings. Soofer was charged in federal court for allegedly fraudulently using taxpayer money, intended for homeless services, to purchase a vacation property in Greece, and shopping at high-end retail businesses.
In his role, Mejia has warned about spending deficits, but ultimately the city controller does not decide the annual budget — that power lies with the mayor and the City Council.
Sokoloff has said he is running to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used to make L.A. safe and affordable.
He graduated from Yale University, and received a master’s in education policy and administration from Loyola University. He also received an MBA from Harvard University, and taught algebra in Boyle Heights and Watts.
In 2018, Sokoloff began working at Hackman Capital, where he said he led multi-billion-dollar projects.
If elected, Sokoloff said he would audit basic city services, and appoint a chief revenue officer to identify new ways to increase the city’s revenue.
Sokoloff told the Los Angeles Times he supports expanding community policing programs, and does not support reducing the size of the Los Angeles Police Department.
On homelessness, the challenger told The Times that affordable housing units cost too much to build, and wants to work with the city to build cheaper housing.
He also criticized Mejia for not doing enough to warn of potential fiscal disasters.
Mejia has routinely provided guidance and information to the mayor and the City Council, most recently about a nearly $1 billion deficit in fiscal year 2025-26 and an estimated $200 million deficit in fiscal year 2026-27.
The incumbent has also identified fraud through the work of the office’s Fraud, Waste and Abuse Unit. He has urged Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council to support the unit by adding investigators to tackle the 700+ claims.
Additionally, Mejia has urged his colleagues to adopt a two-year budget, implement a comprehensive capital infrastructure program and pursue a more transparent budgeting process.
He has discouraged his colleagues from raising fees or taxes to boost revenue but rather levy taxes on vacant properties or on rideshare companies and autonomous vehicle operators as ways to increase general fund dollars, which support city services.
Mejia also called for stronger accountability measures for departments that overspend or generate liability claims. He has also advocated for the implementation of performance-based and participatory budgeting models.
Mejia is a member of the Green Party and has received endorsements from labor unions such as the United Teachers Los Angeles, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, LA Forward and Streets for All.
Sokoloff has been endorsed by prominent Democrats such as U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, Rep. Ted Lieu, and former city controller Rick Tuttle, Laura Chick and Wendy Greuel. He’s also backed by the L.A. County Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, among other groups, according to his website.
Mejia raised a little over $145K in campaign contributions and $500K from the city’s matching funds program, while Sokoloff has raised more than $1.5 million, and has received an additional $7.5 million from his mother, Sheryl Sokoloff, in independent expenditures, according to data from the City Ethics Commission.
Recent Comments