As the overseer of a $1.1 billion-dollar budget, the Onondaga County comptroller has one of the most important jobs in the county. Yet many residents know little about the office. The Syracuse Chamber of Commerce didn't even include the comptroller's race in its election guide.

The two candidates vying for the position, Richard Brickwedde and Robert Antonacci, want to raise the profile of the office being vacated by longtime county official Donald Colon.

Both candidates have qualities that are desirable for the job - almost to the point that it's too bad the duo can't job-share.

Antonacci, the Republican candidate, is a certified public accountant and lawyer in private practice who also serves as the comptroller for Salina. He is an accomplished "bean counter" who emphasizes checks and balances and favors consolidation of services. He believes the comptroller should be at the table during economic development discussions.

But Richard Brickwedde, the Democrat, gets our nod. Brickwedde is also an attorney and has represented governmental clients, including the Department of Environmental Conservation, the state Assembly and U.S. Postal Service. He understands government and pledges to aggress- ively audit the county and its agencies, which he says have not been audited often enough. He points to a 2006 county audit that found the county Department of Parks and Recreation failed to submit paperwork for about $500,000 it was owed by the state and federal governments. He believes there may be other instances of inefficiencies.

He wants to use his background in environmental law to perform environmental audits that could uncover waste. And he pledges to work congenially with the county to correct any problems while keeping the public fully informed.

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