Former San Francisco Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D) is running to replace Betty Yee on the state Board of Equalization. Ma is a certified public accountant who has financial experience and would be a good fit for the BOE. District 1 includes the nine-county Bay Area region and 14 other counties from the northern California coast to Santa Barbara.

In an editorial board meeting, Ma told us that she'll work to educate people more about the state tax issues that the BOE oversees. She also wants to see the increased use of technology and a more aggressive program for going after tax cheats. Ma has traveled to every county in the huge BOE district at least three times, listening to voters and talking about ways to improve transparency in the department. She said that if the LGBT community identifies specific issues that need to be addressed, she will convene a forum to discuss possible changes. We think she will be a great addition to a little-known board that oversees much of the state tax system.