News unlocks

California Blocks Release of Spending Records

Watchdog says Golden State threatens accountability and transparency

California is the only state in the country that has refused to reveal public spending records to a government watchdog, prompting threats of legal action.

OpenTheBooks.com, a nonprofit dedicated to government transparency, said the Golden State is the lone holdout since it began sending public record inquiries to state governments in 2013. Governments in 49 states have complied with requests for itemized accounts of taxpayer funds sent to vendors and public sector employees. California's state government, however, has so far failed to provide the details of the 49 million individual payments it makes each year using taxpayer dollars, saying it is unable to track and document its activities.

"Their excuse is that they can't locate the records—that their system doesn't allow the controller after she makes the payment to track the payment," OpenTheBooks.com founder Adam Andrzejewski told the Washington Free Beacon. "We are preparing to sue the State of California and force them to open their books."

News unlocks

California Blocks Release of Spending Records

Watchdog says Golden State threatens accountability and transparency

California is the only state in the country that has refused to reveal public spending records to a government watchdog, prompting threats of legal action.

OpenTheBooks.com, a nonprofit dedicated to government transparency, said the Golden State is the lone holdout since it began sending public record inquiries to state governments in 2013. Governments in 49 states have complied with requests for itemized accounts of taxpayer funds sent to vendors and public sector employees. California's state government, however, has so far failed to provide the details of the 49 million individual payments it makes each year using taxpayer dollars, saying it is unable to track and document its activities.

"Their excuse is that they can't locate the records—that their system doesn't allow the controller after she makes the payment to track the payment," OpenTheBooks.com founder Adam Andrzejewski told the Washington Free Beacon. "We are preparing to sue the State of California and force them to open their books."

Now with some Sauce …sorry bout that

https://freebeacon.com/issues/california-blocks-release-of-spending-records/

>>7612712

Moar

"Muh accounting system"

Forbes: California’s Accounting System Cost Taxpayers $1.1 Billion And Still Can’t Produce A State Checkbook

California State Controller Betty Yee admits to paying 49 million bills last year. Yet, she won’t produce a single transaction subject to our public records request for line-by-line state spending.

Out of the 50 states, California is the only one that refuses to produce its state checkbook to our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com. Even though it’s home to Silicon Valley, the state government isn’t letting tech drive transparency when it comes to its own records.

It shouldn’t take subpoenas and litigation to force open the books.

Last year, Yee paid 49 million bills for about $320 billion in payments. If you can make the payment, then you can track the payment. The state controller’s office – whose job it is to stop waste, fraud, corruption, and taxpayer abuse – may be in violation of transparency laws.

In 2013, then-California State Controller John Chang rejected our public records request for the state checkbook telling us: stop asking because the records can’t be located. Today, six-years later – Yee is still parroting the same answer.

So, how is the controller even doing her job without access to the records she helped create? We reached out to Yee for comment, and will update the piece if she responds.

She’s charged with tracking “every dollar spent by the state.” Her duties include paying the bills and all state accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and auditing– including financial and compliance audits and attestations.

https://www.openthebooks.com/forbes-californias-accounting-system-cost-taxpayers-11-billion-and-still-cant-produce-a-state-checkbook/

>>7612727

Nice anon….

Actually DARPA did the leg work Maxi…Not Obarna. That lady is nuts. Someone send her Q shaped fruitcake. STAT.

(TIA) Total information awareness program.

>>7612808