Audit Sparks Election Debate

A Merced River School District superintendent running for county office is caught in a financial audit controversy just weeks before the election. Richard Lopez, one of four candidates vying for Merced County Superintendent, faces scrutiny over how his district handles student funds, employee time, and cash deposits — issues flagged in an audit that didn’t find outright theft but raised red flags about controls. Lopez says the district has fixed problems and claims the referral to state fiscal watchdog FCMAT is politically timed. His opponents are using the audit to hammer fiscal responsibility as a key issue — and voters will decide whether trust in the school system can be restored before the June primary. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b35df48e1abc5244