We sat down with Supervisor Steve Ding at his district office to talk about a subject that doesn’t always make headlines but affects every taxpayer in the county: fraud, waste, and the relentless work of keeping government accountable.
SJM: Supervisor, you’ve made fiscal accountability a cornerstone of your service. Why is that so important to you?
Steve Ding: Because it’s not the government’s money — it’s the people’s money. Every dollar wasted on a bloated contract or a fraudulent claim is a dollar that doesn’t go to roads, to deputies on patrol, or to mental health services. I take that personally.
SJM: Can you give us a specific example?
Steve Ding: Our office flagged a series of garbage contracts that were being automatically renewed without competitive bidding. We put a stop to it, required new bids, and saved 45% for residents in Area C. Instead of using one sole-source provider for solar energy across multiple sites, I fought to put the contract out for competitive bid and saved San Joaquin County $59 million. That’s real money.
SJM: Critics sometimes say that cutting costs means cutting services. How do you respond?
Steve Ding: That’s a false choice, and frankly, it’s an excuse people use when they don’t want to do the hard work of finding efficiencies. I’ve never voted to cut a program that serves vulnerable people. What I have done is demand that we get full value for every dollar spent. You can be compassionate and fiscally responsible at the same time.
SJM: What’s next on your radar?
Steve Ding: We are going to adopt an ordinance to regulate the possession of catalytic converters. Catalytic converter theft continues to devastate hardworking people. Victims of catalytic converter thefts can pay thousands of dollars to replace them, and repairs can take months to occur, due to various supply chain issues. An ordinance would provide law enforcement with an invaluable tool that will allow thieves to be held accountable for their crimes.
SJM: Last question — why should voters trust you on this?
Steve Ding: Because I’ve done it. Not talked about it. Done it. The results are in the budget documents for anyone to see. I’m proud of that record, and I intend to build on it.
