The computer system intended to manage the courts' workload is deeply flawed and so costly beyond projections that scrapping the upgrade may make the most sense, according to a scathing state audit. The LA Times' Patrick McGreevy tells the tale.
"A computer modernization project for the state's court system has soared in cost from $260 million to as much as $1.9 billion and is now so far over budget and behind schedule that it should be put on hold and reconsidered, a new state audit has found."
"The project, the California Court Case Management
System, is supposed to modernize and link court computers
in California's 58
counties. But it has been beset with problems almost
since it was started in
2001, spurring legislators to ask for the audit. The system
was supposed to be
finished in 2009 but now may not be ready until 2016, and even then it could be
incomplete, according to the scathing 143-page audit by state Auditor Elaine Howle."
The on-again, off-again funding for California's high-speed rail project is on-again, at least for now. The White House announced new money for transit projects, and California is in line to get a share.
From the Mercury News' Mike Rosenberg: "But congressional Republicans, who control the House and have vowed to slash spending, stand as a formidable opponent to the funding proposal outlined by Vice President Joe Biden. It's also unclear where most of the federal funds would come from."
"But should the plan -- one of President Barack Obama's signature job-creation initiatives -- go through, California would be in line for the biggest chunk of funding. That money would fuel the state's $43 billion bullet train project -- its biggest public works undertaking in a generation, and one that has been called both California's most promising and most wasteful endeavor."
Californians are wary of the state government and know little about how the government really operates, a poll shows, but they are somewhat hopeful that problems can be solved. The Ventura Star's Timm Herdt takes a look.
"Notably, in a state that many have dismissed as ungovernable, 86 percent said they believe that "it is possible for California to be run well." Additionally, they are motivated to see that happen because 80 percent feel that the problems state government is experiencing affect them personally."
"What would they like to see done? Two of the most popular ideas are to reduce bureaucracy (72 percent) and shift control over some state programs and revenues to local governments (68 percent)."
Meanwhile, Dan Walters tackles Tom Ammiano in the enduring squabble over NFL stadiums. Say what you mean, Dan.
"Ammiano's bill strongly implies that if local folks are unwilling to pay for lavish new sports venues, the state should step in and do it for them – or for the teams' owners.
What part of "stone broke" doesn't Ammiano understand? The state is cutting basic services and can't afford the bond debt it's already incurred, much less the tens of billions of voter-authorized but unissued bonds still on the books."
"It not only makes no financial sense for the state to get involved in this trivial matter of providing new sports arenas, but it would be an open invitation to corruption if politicians assume the power to pick one team or one city over another. Go back to state rocks, Tom. They're at least cheaper political toys."
CalPERS is going to court to recover millions of dollars it lost in the Leahman Brothers bankruptcy. One hopes the legal costs will be less than the funds -- if any -- that it recovers.
From Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee: "The lawsuit targets 34 firms, including such big names as Citigroup, Bank of New York Mellon and Wells Fargo Securities. They were the underwriters, the firms that sold Lehman securities to investors such as CalPERS."
"The suit, filed late Monday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, also names Lehman's top officers and directors, including former Chairman and Chief Executive Richard Fuld.
CalPERS says in the suit that it was victimized by a "fraudulent scheme" that hid Lehman's high-risk mortgage dealings from investors. When those mortgages went sour, Lehman collapsed, the suit says."
And from our "Indiana Makes California Look Normal" file, we have the case of the painted pooch. Welcome to Terre Haute.
"Detective Teddy York of the West Terre Haute Police testified Monday in Vigo Superior Court 1 that police were called at about 7 p.m. Saturday by a woman who reported that someone had painted her white 8-year-old dog pink.
"The woman said the paint had rubbed off onto her
furniture and vehicle, and she requested a trespass
warning be issued for a
person she suspected…"
Cats will be next...