Saturday, April 27, 2013

More improper spending found at State level

As California Marks Anniversary of Parks Scandal, New Examples of Improper State Spending Emerge

April marks one year since the public was first made aware of the improper vacation buybacks for staff at the Department of Parks and Recreation.  As the California Budget Fact Check has previously found, this revelation ultimately led to the disclosure that the Department had hid $54 million in taxpayer dollars from the Department of Finance and the Legislature.
 
Facing increased scrutiny from the Legislature, the news media and citizens groups, one would expect that state government departments would act with greater accountability in the glare of the public eye.
 
But last week, the State Auditor found that there are serious questions about the operations of the special license plate program, specifically that:
  • State officials did not collect $22 million in  fees from motorists who have a special plate on their vehicle.
  • The state overcharged the license plate program by $2.1 million annually for overhead costs, reducing funding available for the targeted programs.
  • The Auditor’s report raises additional questions about spending and accountability at the Department of Parks and Recreation.