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From Sleeping On the Job To Building A Tiki Room While On Duty: State Audit Reveals Misuse Of Taxpayers' Dollars

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A scathing new report released today by the state auditor revealed misuse of state time and government property by several state employees and agencies.

The auditor conducted over 1,000 investigations in the past year under the state's Whistleblower Act. Agencies investigated include Cal Fire, Cal State Fresno, the State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the DMV.

According to the state auditor, employees investigated for misconduct last year cost taxpayers close to $200,000.

The Sacramento community is fired up over the lengthy, 60-page state audit exposing several state agencies for abusing the system. One of the most egregious happened at the DMV with a key data operator. The investigation revealed that between 2014-2017 the employee slept on the job for at least three hours a day, costing the state more than $40,000.

"I think they should go through and revamp the whole system," said Gregory Johnson, a critic of the agency.

Another investigation by the state auditor found an Assistant Chief for Cal Fire in Santa Clara used two employees to build a tiki room in 2016, while they were on duty.

The Assistant Chief then used the building to host personal parties.

Tiki-Room
(credit: CA State Auditor's Office)

"Was there a danger there; absolutely. One, it was unauthorized, two, it was not inspected," said Mike Mohler, Cal Fire Deputy Director.

And the audit reveals two maintenance workers at Cal State Fresno, found lying about working full shifts, which cost state taxpayers more than $111,000 over a period of four years. But the findings in the audit aren't the least bit surprising for this couple.

"We know quite a few people who work for the state," said Carol Separas.

"On Saturdays, they would take turns and with a punch card and she would go in to punch people in so they would get overtime, and no one would show up," said her husband, Harry.

A watchdog group, Howard-Jarvis Taxpayers Association, says the state needs a more rigorous system to bust problem employees, instead of trying to pass additional tax initiatives.

"Reports like this continue to show voters that their dollars are not being spent well," said David Wolfe, legislative director for the Howard-Jarvis Taxpayers Association

One of the biggest surprises: in all seven cases, none of the employees were fired.

The State Auditor's Office received almost 1,500  inquiries last year, but could only investigate 463, because other reports didn't have enough information.

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