National Women's Political Caucus -- Inland Empire
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We are on the MOVE!

By justine on April 28th, 2010

This is the last big push time — less than 6 weeks to election day, less if you consider the enormous growth of Vote By Mail which opens on May 10. 

Our campaign is sitting pretty well.  We need to work hard to get the signs out and meet the voters.  We are also at that last moment where contributions can help seal the deal.  I want to take this time to thank you all for everything that you have done and will continue to do.  Our families are our best supporters and you have all been family for me.  We can make a difference together and we’ll make a change that’s good for us all!

Look for QUINONES on Slate Mailers you receive, signs in yards through out the County, and on cards, brochures, and flyers that you helped get into the hands of the voters.  Listen for QUINONES in the phone calls leading up to election day.  Watch for QUINONES to make a difference in the way government responds to people.

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It’s Done!

By justine on April 28th, 2010

Inserted below here is my Candidate Statement as presented to the Registrar of Voters

Candidate Statement                                                              Justine K. Quiñones, CPA

 I am a credentialed CPA and have earned my MBA in Operational Management. I have been in management positions in three departments of Riverside County over a 22 year career that followed working in private industry as a corporate accountant, tax preparer and financial auditor.

 As the economy recovers my philosophy of “Simple Changes Bring the Greatest Return” is as appropriate and as necessary as it was 20 years ago.  During my County career I developed a centralized year-end accounting system, improved a ten-year cash projection report, and created a medically indigent services payment system which also created jobs in the County. These tools are still in use today.   

 I believe in honest work based on doing the right thing economically, leading and living by example, while communicating clearly to others the need to demonstrate accountability and responsibility. 

 As your County Auditor, I will work with departments to create policy and procedures that are both effective and efficient while promoting cross-department cooperation, initiatives and insight.  I believe that policies and processes built on these stepping-stones protect you, the taxpayer, from waste and fraud which saves County resources.  

 I ask for your vote for Auditor of Riverside County.

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Voters’ Rights

By justine on March 25th, 2010

A  lot is said about a voter’s responsibilities but along with responsibilities come rights and vice versa.  Voters have the right to the privacy of their vote — it is their choice to share their decisions.  Voters have the right to expect that the persons they elect will be performing in accordance with the collective voters wishes.  That’s why they elected them.  Lastly,  voters have the right to expect that each person they vote for has a minimum level of integrity at least equal to the voter.  Integrity is an integral part of an elected official’s makeup.  Leadership is setting that example of integrity that is above the “not illegal” and the amoral.  Leadership must contain integrity but integrity is only part of leadership.  Voters deserve elected officials with leadership who can work together, communicate clearly with voters, be accountable and responsible, while leading the County to a more effective government.

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Candidate Statement

By justine on March 1st, 2010

I have filed my nomination papers and taken my oath.  I need now to focus on developing a 200 word or less statement about myself.  I want to be able to focus on my accomplishments and the accomplishments of my staff since I believe these show leadership, effectiveness, and responsibility.  I want to make my statement reader friendly so that it can be clear to all who read it and it can show a true accountability for my choices and my career.

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The world around us

By justine on February 27th, 2010

The events of this weekend — the Chilean earthquake, tsunamis in the Pacific, and the Winter Olympics, have given us all several examples on different levels of what it means to be a real leader.  The no-nonsense approach to the tsunami threats in Hawaii were a prime example of calm and coordination within local government.  The speed with which the Chilean government reacted to the earthquake today and the ways that they used lessons from the past to be safer this time mark the huge difference between the experience in Haiti and the one in Chile.  The matter-of-fact acceptance of judges’ decisions and the spirit to move on to the next contest has been demonstrated repeatedly within the Olympics whether that judge is the weather, conditions, or a person.  All of these hold large lessons in clear communication, leadership, effectiveness, accountability, and responsibility.  It is a time to be proud of being a person involved in this planet.

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State of Mind

By justine on February 9th, 2010

I’ve put a post regarding the State of the Union address out on both Facebook and Twitter but I guess I overlooked my own page!! The State of the Union held hope and promise but not without some sweat and work ahead of us.  The next day in the paper the Press headline article maintained that the President’s forecast is looking for about a 10 year recovery.  It’s not that we can’t do it but we are going to have to WANT to do it and stay with it until it is done.  Government needs to overhaul how it functions to work within its means just as every household in the country, the State, and the County will have to.  This is a call for Leadership; to overhaul an operation as large as the County requires Effectiveness; and to show the voters what is being done requires Accountability and Clarity while owning the actions of staff — Responsibility.

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Scary Times

By justine on February 9th, 2010

The Board of Supervisors stated some telling facts today that I would like to adopt.  I paraphrase and hope I don’t lose their meaning.  They pointed out that now was a time to cooperate between departments not a time to look only after your own process.  The Supes called for Initiative and Leadership to go along with Cooperation.  Interestingly they turned to the Executive Office for revenue reviews.  Where was the Auditor-Controller?  The Executive Office hired a consultant rather than employ the talented and dedicated people of the Executive Office and the Auditor-Controller’s office to conduct a revenue review.  Where was the Auditor?  The next several years will require focussed, purposeful, and innovative solutions to ongoing functions.  Government will need to speak to the people and people will need to speak to government.  Clarity in communication, Leadership in innovation, Effectiveness in processes and procedures, Accountability in transactions, and Responsibility for all actions will become not only a logo or campaign platform but a minimal requirement.

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About Effectiveness

By justine on January 27th, 2010

January 27, 2010.  Did you have a chance to read the front page of the Press-Enterprise this morning? Doom and gloom, pain and agony, layoffs and budget cuts.  Is our government being EFFECTIVE?  Is there another way to approach government and budgeting?  I think there is.  I think it will require a more global perspective and I think the Auditor’s office should lead the way.   Now I’m not saying that we don’t have a $71million problem that needs attention and I totally agree with Mr. Luna’s assertion that we (Riverside County residents) can’t continue to offset revenue shortfalls out of savings for operational expenses but I do think we can take a look at what government is doing and find the shortfalls and areas where cooperation could bring some big savings.  Are there duplicate services or work objectives and goals within the various Public Safety departments?  Are there functions within the Health and Welfare services that are duplicated?  Are their too many supervisors which then requires more staff to justify the supervisors?  What would happen if we could negotiate temporary demotions in lieu of layoffs?  What would be the service effect?  Finally, are we budgeting the correct mix of services or has Riverside County fallen victim to the account line, incremental budget demon without consideration of how a particular activity enhances the services required by the citizens of Riverside.  I would welcome the opportunity to see how the various department budgets enhance the mission statement of the County and support the goals and objectives of the Supervisors who represent your goals and objectives for government service.  That’s my thought — Justine Quinones

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Thoughts on Integrity

By justine on January 18th, 2010

January 18, 2010.  I’ve been talking to a lot of people over the last week and a half.  I’ve been reading a lot of blogs and websites, too.  There’s a lot of talk about Integrity and Trust.  These are core ideals that are a MUST for an auditor, especially the Auditor.  However, a lot of what I’ve read and heard contains exaggerations and innuendos that although not untrue don’t reflect fair and upfront consideration and may, in the last analysis, turn out to be wrong and miscommunicated.  I want my name to be associated with a campaign that focuses on what can make the Auditor’s office and function better for the County and therefore for the citizens.  I believe that we can achieve this through Clarity and transparency, onsight Leadership and guidance, audits that center on Efficiency and Effectiveness, Accountability through out the operation, and unwavering Responsibility.

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Justine Quinones Announces Candidacy

By justine on January 18th, 2010

January 14, 2010 Justine Quinones officially announced her candidacy as a public commentator at the Advisory Committee meeting of the County of Riverside Regional Parks & Open Space District.  Justine has long been a supporter and participant of events at the Park District.  In past years she has acted as banker for the Haunted Trail Halloween festivities and attended the Butterfly Daze with grandchildren.  She often enjoys bike rides along the renovated and elongated Santa Ana Bike Trail and has taken long seasonal walks at Santa Rosa Plateau, Rubidoux Nature Center, and Idyllwild Nature Center, and picnics at Rancho Jurupa Park.  Therefore it seemed appropriate that the District would be the first County site to officially be told that Justine was in the running for Auditor of the County of Riverside.