Thousand Oaks – Today’s Sacramento Bee published portions of an interview with Controller John Chiang that left more questions than answers about the Controller’s ability to lead and to manage taxpayer dollars.

 

In explaining his defiance of previous court orders to follow the law regarding state employee pay in the absence of a State budget, John Chiang plays the blame game and cites old technology as the principal reason he has not complied with the Governor’s order.

 

What Chiang fails tell us is that he was given millions of taxpayer dollars to upgrade our antiquated payroll system four years ago and he’s failed to get the job done.  Chiang needs to step up and explain to the taxpayers where their money went and why he’s failed to prepare his office for an issue we’ve all known was coming.

 

None of the court decisions have found Chiang’s excuses credible or justification for failing to follow the law.  At the conclusion of today’s Bee interview Chiang left the door open for future appeals should tomorrow’s court decision rule against him.

 

“I’ve refused to assert that the reason the Controller is defying the Governor and the law is because he’s owned by the special interests who funded his election.   That’s a fact but it’s not news.

 

What is news is John’s failure to accept responsibility for squandering taxpayer dollars and failing to upgrade his computers when given four years and millions to get the job done. California is home to Silicon Valley and John’s excuses ring hollow.  John owes the taxpayers an explanation, not more court cases,” said State Senator Tony Strickland.

 

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