Posted on 01/16/2006 11:05:51 AM PST by NormsRevenge
The Legislature's years-long record of woefully underfunding the state's chief political watchdog agency is a shameful act of negligence that few people have noticed. Not anymore.
State Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento, has introduced legislation (SB 1120) that would give the Fair Political Practices Commission the $9 million annual budget it has long requested. A self-interested Legislature, wary of healthy scrutiny, has starved the agency of funds, forking over just $6 million annually in the past several years.
Forced to cut costs, the FPPC has slashed the staff that keeps an eye on California's 15,000 elected officials from 91 in 1990 to 60 today, with just seven full-time investigators. And FPPC chairwoman Liane Randolph says those investigators are perpetually green because of a high turnover rate attributed to heavy workloads and low morale.
How heavy? Try five corruption complaints filed a day. Since May, the FPPC has had to drop 225 pending cases -- including some that Randolph labeled "serious" -- because there aren't enough staffers to pursue them.
Ortiz's bill is the first serious effort in years to address this shortfall, but the measure is not without its flaws. The biggest drawback is the provision that would tie this year's $9 million allocation to the cost of living in California and changes in the agency's workload. While Ortiz's intent is admirable, automatic funding hikes disregard fluctuating needs and are the bane of responsible budgeting.
Better that the Legislature honestly evaluate the agency's annual needs and earmark the cash accordingly. Who knows? If allowed to do its job correctly and hold politicians accountable, the agency could soon have less work to do.
How heavy? Try five corruption complaints filed a day. Since May, the FPPC has had to drop 225 pending cases -- including some that Randolph labeled "serious" -- because there aren't enough staffers to pursue them.
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Hoe convenient for the legislature to not cough up the funds that pay folks to keep an eye on them.
Where is the Gub re: speaking out against this delay in adequately funding the FPPC?
Bump
Hoe = How
There is a lot of BS they do too. I have to fill out reports every year stating I shared in 1/4 of a $50 box of Sees candy dropped off at my office.
Bummer. That'll teach ya to accept chocolates in the first place, and second, not sharing it with your local FReepers.
Don't they have an online system for reporting? I hate cumbersome forms.. ;-)
I'll call the Gub, and see if he will borrow some more money and have one put in the budget.
1-888-SPENDSOMEMOREGUB
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