That statement comes from California Gov. Jerry Brown. There’s a reason for stereotypes, and the latest financial debacle of California shows us yet another reason why the state is teetering on collapse. An audit has found that California agencies have given out interest-free loans and salary advances to scores of employees who have never paid it back. Worse, state officials haven’t cared that it hasn’t been paid back, showing their utter contempt for the hard-working people who pay the freight. Gov. Jerry Brown has ended the practice.
Brown’s statement said a 2009 state audit found $13.3 million in outstanding loans at 11 agencies. “In most cases, employees were granted advances, and agencies were either slow to collect funds or failed to collect at all,” the statement said.
The administration expects to find millions more in unpaid loans at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where auditors from the controller’s office arereviewing the books. Chiang spokeswoman Hallye Jordan said she could not comment on an ongoing investigation.
Last year, an investigation found that California welfare cards were being used at casinos, on cruise ships, and more.
Despite these stories, as well as the scores of other stories about ludicrous “priorities” and wasted public money — including a Florida agency buying Superman capes for the unemployed — it is stunning that there are still some big-government nanny-staters who don’t understand the genesis and the appeal of the tea party movement.
