DJ Becker / The Madera News January 28th, 2022
The Madera County Auditor-Controller Todd E. Miller submitted his resignation this week, effective February 28th, according to county documents, with 10 months remaining on his elected term in office. The short term filling of the vacant position will be discussed in the open session by the Board of Supervisors at the February 1st meeting. The elected office pays approximately $150,000 per year and will then be up for the county-wide primary election in June of 2022. For filing deadlines please see the Elections Department website at www.votemadera.com for primary dates and other details.
Miller, a CPA, had come under scrutiny after allegedly selling his residence in Oakhurst in June, reportedly purchasing another home in Battleground, Washington and relocating his household there.
The Board of Supervisors, CAO Jay Varney and Miller all refused to answer any questions posed in mid-December, and again in mid-January by The Madera News regarding Miller’s state of residency or other allegations made by current and former employees. Residents said they were concerned if Miller was no longer a legal resident of California he would be unable to effectively fulfill his elected position or work in the best interests of Madera County, and the relocation could be a violation of state law.
Other employees from multiple county departments also alleged significant payroll reporting inaccuracies over multiple years, including the overreporting of wages for Social Security and Medicare and that they were never notified of the discrepancies, or of a possible employee data breach that may have resulted in employees’ information being used erroneously or in identity theft.
Oakhurst area residents alleged Miller was unwilling to audit or account for projects, including Madera County’s collection methods and reporting accuracy of the full Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), which includes a separate Tourism Business Improvement District Tax (TBID) collected on the many popular and pricey vacation rentals in mountain communities. One North Fork resident, Kris Hamliton, described Miller as hostile and unhelpful and said she wanted to know if the essential department had the appropriate checks and balances in place or had ever been forensically audited by an independent agency? Hamilton went on to ask “who is ensuring the many millions of our taxpayers’ dollars are being appropriately used and accounted for?’
Miller, 70, was first elected in 2014 and also has an Oakhurst CPA practice. He did not give a reason for his early resignation, answer any questions or respond to employee allegations but said in an undated statement to the BOS he had been asked by Supervisor Tom Wheeler multiple times to run “to help straighten out the Auditor-Controller’s office” and Miller “now felt he had fulfilled that challenge and it was time for time for new blood to take over.” Miller when on to make the recommendation of appointing David Richstone, a CPA and an existing Certified Internal Auditor in the office to fill his remaining term.
