I am pleased to offer this guest commentary from Senator Abel Maldonado, who represents California’s 15th District along the Central Coast…
John Chiang: A Controller Out of Control
By State Senator Abel Maldonado
If your tax refund check is delayed, blame State Controller John Chiang’s irresponsible spending. While you’re trying to find a way to do more with less, the state controller is continuing to do less with more.
On January 6, the governor vetoed the Democrats’ illegal budget. Phrases like “fiscal Armageddon” were used to describe the ever-increasing state budget shortfall. Rumors of furloughs, IOUs and layoffs dominated the press. John Chiang decried the desperate situation we were in and said we would be out of money in February. But on that same day, the controller ordered $996,000 in new office furniture.
Amazingly, this isn’t the first time the controller’s office has submitted such a large purchase order for new furniture. Just seven months ago, his office submitted a purchase order for an additional $996,000 in new furniture. That’s almost $2 million for 550 new “modular systems furniture workstations.” That’s your tax dollars at work.
But the spending doesn’t stop there. The Controller’s office has requested another $1 million in this budget for more office furniture. I’m outraged that hardworking Californians aren’t going to receive their tax refunds, yet the controller continues to justify his expenses. This is not about office furniture; it is about an elected official who believes he is immune to the budget crisis we’re in.
The Controller is calling me “pathetic.” When did it become pathetic to hold government accountable for its actions? Where are the Controller’s priorities? How can he say that we’re out of money and has to issue IOUs but behind closed doors buy new furniture for his office?
I can’t even express my disgust with this behavior. I have been critical of legislators who have continued to take per diem during the budget deficit. I’ve introduced legislation that prevents legislators from receiving their pay or per diem during a budget stalemate. How can we expect the people of California to trust us with their money with we can’t even implement common-sense reforms? Legislators and constitutional officers alike must stop acting like they are immune to the downfalls in the economy.
Earlier this year, the Controller reprimanded my colleagues and me in a joint legislative session about how we needed to lead by example in order to solve the budget crisis. I am calling on the Controller to do the same, and to end this cycle of hypocrisy. I am urging State Controller John Chiang to retract the $1 million appropriation in this year’s budget. We need to fund the priorities of this state first.
More information is available on this issue, including original source documents, at Senator Maldonado’s website.
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