Deepika Naharas is running for Contra Costa County Auditor Controller. Source: campaign
Experienced finance and accounting leader pledges independent oversight, stronger accountability, and modern financial operations for Contra Costa taxpayers
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — May 10, 2026 — Deepika Naharas, a finance and accounting leader with more than 25 years of experience, announced her campaign for Contra Costa County Auditor-Controller, pledging to protect taxpayer dollars, strengthen accountability, and bring independent oversight to one of the county’s most important financial offices.
“The Auditor-Controller should work for the people,” Naharas said. “Contra Costa taxpayers deserve an independent financial watchdog who will protect public dollars, improve transparency, and make county finances easier for everyone to understand.”
The Auditor-Controller oversees the financial backbone of county government, including public funds, audits, payroll, accounting, and property tax administration. Naharas said the office must do more than balance books; it must build public trust.
Naharas’s call for independence and modernization has already drawn support from former employees of the Auditor-Controller’s Office, who believe the office is ready for fresh leadership, stronger accountability, and a renewed commitment to public service.
A San Ramon resident of 20 years, Naharas has led finance, accounting, compliance, budgeting, controls, and reporting functions for Fortune 500 companies, technology firms, startups, and mission-driven organizations. She holds an MBA in Finance and a BBA in Accounting.
According to her LinkedIn profile, since 2017 Naharas has worked as a Director at KongBasileConsulting, which, according to the company website is headquartered in San Francisco and provides “scalable outsourced operations support, serving as your internal accounting and financial consultants.”
Previously she worked as Treasurer from 2005 to 2020 for Hypertransport Technology Consortium, a non-profit founded by AMD (Advanced Micro Devices).
Since January 2023 Naharas has served as Controller/ Internal Auditor for Lead For Earth which works “To encourage, endorse and empower environmental and sustainability leaders at down ballot races” and “aims to connect communities with decision-makers and grassroots leaders who prioritize climate action, sustainability, and ecosystem protection.”
Her campaign is focused on three urgent priorities:
Protect Taxpayer Dollars – Strengthen audits, internal controls, compliance, and early-warning systems to prevent waste, errors, and mismanagement before they cost residents.
Increase Financial Transparency – Make County finances easier to understand with plain-language updates, clearer property tax explanations, and public tools that show how taxpayer dollars are collected, managed, and spent.
Modernize Financial Operations – Build on the county’s existing technology, assess smart new tools, and improve speed, accuracy, reporting, and service for taxpayers, county departments, and local districts.
“This race is about trust,” Naharas said. “Residents should not need an accounting degree to understand how county money is collected, managed, and spent. My goal is simple: every dollar accounted for, every report understandable, every department held to the same standard, and every taxpayer treated with respect.”
The 2026 election marks the first wide-open race for Contra Costa County Auditor-Controller in decades. Naharas said the moment calls for fresh leadership, not automatic succession.
“Experience matters — but independence matters just as much,” Naharas said. “I bring 25 years of real-world finance and accounting leadership, fresh eyes, and a commitment to serve the people of Contra Costa County with integrity, transparency, and results.”
The election will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. For more information, visit DeepikaNaharas.com.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.