By Donna Westfall – April 19, 2022
Howard Jarvis just released their annual “Follow the Money” report documenting billions in government waste, fraud, and abuse committed in 2021 in California.
Here are examples of just a few:
Residents of Nancy Pelosi’s district to receive subsidies to buy electric
fireplaces
6/4/21
Residents of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s district will receive $2.1 million in federal tax
dollars in partnership with a $205,000 contribution by the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District to replace their wood fireplaces with electric ones. While
ostensibly meant to improve air quality, it certainly raises questions about why the
funds were directed to this particular area. Furthermore, the allocation duplicates
incentives for removing wood burning fireplaces which were somehow included in
the coronavirus relief plan.
State employment chief says she doesn’t know why unemployment is high
10/26/21
California’s unemployment rate soared to historic highs as strict COVID-19 rules
combined with the state’s usual high tax and anti-business political stance.
However, when Assemblyman Kevin Kiley questioned the Director of the
Employment Development Department on why unemployment was so high she
was absolutely baffled, and said she would have a “research team” look into it.
Top union leader charged with tax fraud, embezzlement, perjury and failure to
pay taxes
10/14/21
The executive director of the SEIU, the state’s largest union and an advocate of
higher taxes, resigned after being charged with numerous crimes including failure
to pay her own taxes. Under this official’s tenure, the union donated more than $6
million to Gavin Newsom’s anti-Recall campaign.
Tents that cost more than luxury apartments
6/25/21
The San Francisco Chronicle reported 260 tents San Francisco maintains in six
“sleeping villages” cost the city $5,000 per tent per month, or $60,000 annually. In
addition to tents, the sleeping villages provide access to showers and 3 meals a day,
but some have raised concerns about the cost. At $5,000 per tent per month, the
rent on a luxury apartment would be less, and the rent on an average 1-bedroom
apartment in San Francisco would be less than half.
Central Valley high-speed rail segment a year behind and $1.4 billion over
budget
2/5/22
A segment of California’s troubled high-speed rail project under construction in the
Central Valley will again have its completion date pushed back. This development is
just the latest in a long series of delays and cost overruns related to the high-speed
rail project, a scheme which has changed considerably and at least doubled in
estimated cost from what was originally approved by voters.
The consequences of California’s failure to provide meaningful accountability manifest in declines in venture capital investment, tourism, and Congressional representation
The entire report can be accessed by clicking here:
https://www.hjta.org/studies-and-reports/
