Staff Reports
In California, there seems to be an endless cycle of dealing with money matters, particularly when it comes to the management—or mismanagement—of funds. The state has admitted to using $50 million to assist illegal immigrants, which was decidedly off the books. These are expenses that were never supposed to happen, and the situation doesn’t stop there. With high-speed rail, healthcare, and other investments going haywire, one has to wonder whether anyone is paying attention. Apparently, oversight is a foreign concept in the Golden State, and it’s about time someone lifted the rock to see what’s crawling underneath.
The welfare system in California is now facing heightened scrutiny, reminiscent of an almost Sherlock Holmes-level investigation. Congress has begun looking into Governor Walz’s handling of colossal fraud cases in Minnesota. If California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is to be believed, the transgressions in Minnesota are a mere blip compared to the Grand Canyon of financial mismanagement happening under the long-standing one-party rule in California. Hilton is determined to shine light into the darkest corners, inviting honest civil servants to report anything fishy through a new tip line he’s launched.
There’s no shortage of shocking numbers when it comes to fraud and waste in California. No need for a calculator, but it’s safe to say that $20 billion spent amid a pandemic found its way to every place except where it was needed. From criminals to foreign gangsters, the funds moved like a whirlwind, bypassing the hands of legitimate recipients. Add in $24 billion on homelessness, which never quite reached the hobos it promised to help, and it becomes clear that funds mysteriously transform into lining the pockets of well-connected cronies. And don’t forget more millions spent on free healthcare for illegal immigrants. It’s as though state officials have decided they’re hosting a never-ending charity drive, with hardworking taxpayers constantly picking up the tab.
The drama doesn’t stop with internal fraud. California’s fires are another example of promises made and promises broken. Governor Gavin Newsom claimed he’d spearhead a recovery effort following devastating fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, much like a modern-day superhero, except with fewer results. Newsom even pointed fingers and blamed President Trump, but his own grand promises of a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild seem far from becoming reality. It’s as if time stops in California while politicians play the eternal “it’s not my fault” game.
In the midst of desperation, Californians are left to wonder whether their leaders have the foresight to truly see the smoldering ash fields of bureaucracy for what they are, rather than what they claim to be cleaning up. Next year’s election could be a turning point, but only if voters decide enough is enough. It feels like the state is living in a sitcom, and while it’s entertaining, it’s time for the citizens to call cut on the farcical plot before it edges too close to a tragedy. And with any luck, perhaps Newsom won’t need to book any more flights to Washington to ask for cash to cover what’s already been burned.
