Posted on 08/08/2005 4:47:32 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO — California's fleet of state-owned vehicles swelled to 70,000 last year, but officials in an aggressive new asset-management push have so far been able to pinpoint only about 40,000.
The effort by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's State and Consumer Services Agency — which began its review when he took office — marks a first for the state but is highlighting what administration officials say has been years of haphazard and inefficient management by both Democratic and Republican governors.
"It was very bad. We were amazed by how inadequate the information (was)," said Fred Aguiar, secretary in charge of the agency conducting the review. "The data coming from departments and agencies of state in regards to procurement was terrible."
The agency is seeking to consolidate the information in an effort to maximize resources, improve efficiency and reduce government spending.
When his department began its review, the situation "was so bad" Aguiar discovered that one government agency purchased $4 million worth of automobiles but didn't have any record of where it bought them.
So far the department has determined that California spent $33.6 million on automobiles in 2004, but it is still compiling fleetwide data and does not yet know the total value or ongoing costs of the state's fleet.
Steve Frates, a senior fellow at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College and an expert on government management practices, said the fleet management inefficiencies are not uncommon among state governments — though they are not necessarily the rule.
"The fact they're taking corrective action is good, but long overdue," he said
Charged with managing state assets — including vehicles, real estate and goods like office furniture — the State and Consumer Services Agency until recently had little power to require state departments to disclose information about assets.
Aguiar said legislation by former state Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, (signed by former Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in 2003) and Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Modesto, (signed by Schwarzenegger in 2004) has made it easier to gather such information.
The legislation required all executive agencies and the California State University system to accommodate State and Consumer Services' request for vehicle-fleet information. Denham's bill, in particular, mandated that all departments have vehicle purchases approved by the Department of General Services, a department within State and Consumer Services.
In June, Aguiar hired private consulting firm The Gartner Group for $175,000 to develop a computerized system that will allow the state to track the number, value and costs of all vehicles it owns at any given time. The system also would track details such as each vehicle's purchase date, location and accrued mileage.
Aguiar said his agency does not yet have a target date for completion of the review, nor are officials sure how much money might be saved. But both state officials and government analysts expect that at least some costs will be reduced over the long term.
A recent state audit of one department suggests the figure could be substantial.
According to the Bureau of State Audits, The Department of Fleet Administration under DGS owns 6,400 automobiles, many of which it rents to other government agencies. But the state auditor found the rates it charges are not necessarily competitive, and its vehicle inventory might be larger than necessary.
The effort to better manage state assets has spurred broad interest.
Assemblywoman Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Montclair, is carrying a bill for the governor that would make it easier for the state to dispose of surplus property — which has been another asset-management improvement project the Schwarzenegger administration has been working on.
Assembly Bill 54 would authorize the state to sell $120 million worth of excess real estate.
If they would just take the wheels off, they woudn't have this problem.
Save energy, too.
...
You're welcome.
No surprise.
In June, Aguiar hired private consulting firm The Gartner Group for $175,000 to develop a computerized system that will allow the state to track the number, value and costs of all vehicles it owns at any given time.
Can anyone here develop a database for less money?
Maybe it's the new video game
"Grand Theft Auto: Hillary at the Wheel!"
:-}
Every aspect of California's state government is run the same way as this car fiasco. There needs to be an audit on the entire mess to "clean house". Arnold promised to do that when he ran for Governor. So far, no do. Even during the supposed "hiring freeze" they were hiring more and more paper pushers. What a joke--idiots on the State level and idiots in Washington--Pelosi, Boxer, and Feinstein. Welcome to California!
Actually, Yes I can. However, that ain't a bad price. Especially if they intend to support it for a couple of releases/years.
Every aspect of California's state government is run the same way as this car fiasco. There needs to be an audit on the entire mess to "clean house". Arnold promised to do that when he ran for Governor. So far, no do. Even during the supposed "hiring freeze" they were hiring more and more paper pushers. What a joke--idiots on the State level and idiots in Washington--Pelosi, Boxer, and Feinstein. Welcome to California!
It's not California, but,....near where I live, there is a city police car parked there a lot of the time for hours or days at a time.
Why isn't it on patrol and who's paying for it to sit there.
OK, maybe it's a crime deterent, but I don't think so.
Miguel's Used Cars, Mexico City
Creampuffs! Only driven in the US by government employees who usually just slept in them. Most have only 200,000 miles on them.
If they all had OnStar, the government could track them.
Simple solution. Compile a list of vehicles known to be assigned to State Personnel. Then send a memo to all State Employees informing them that they are to immediately send the State the identifying information on the vehicle assigned to them or, vehicles which are their responsibility. In 90 days any vehicle not on the master list, and vehicles which have not accounted for shall be listed as stolen.
Ooops!
"Where are the cars owned by the state?"
They're being driven home and on vacation by all the parasitic, lazy and lard assed, "Democratic" state employees at tax payer's expense, if they haven't been sold in Mexico, that's where.
If a business had done this, Liberals would be crying ENRON.
So goes Social Security.
My guess is that these cars never existed.
Waiting for the firings to start. Won't hold my breath, though.
Yeah, the purchasing department guy probably had a policy of "two for the state, one for me."
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