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Republican Strategist Mark Standriff on budget discrepancy found in California that led to the state discovering $2.3 billion in extra money.
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Is out up to 2.3.
Billion dollars in California public funds were hiding in plain sight.
This is after 854 billion dollar surplus was recently found in the parks department budget.
The San Jose Mercury news analyze the State's little known special bonds and they're actually hundreds of them.
Now they have discovered this mountain of cash.
Although California has been in -- financial meltdown.
Tell me break it down.
Now is California Republican strategist mark the stand -- great to have you back -- the -- mark thanks for joining us.
Thanks so much for having me back Melissa so this really some Blockbuster reporting out of the San Jose Mercury news -- reporter mark Rosenberg an amazing job and -- -- -- the books and found.
Seventeen accounts that appear to have significantly more reserve cash.
And the departments reported and it seems like.
They just worked following their books close it like it was an error in their just sort of bad bad with math I mean was that your take.
Well it it it's not so much that it was sort of you know found money at it as it was -- just to complete.
Lack of accountability in California's bloated bureaucracy that is basically what happened just did give your viewers that the the follow through -- Earlier this year the the department of finance.
Reported to Jerry Brown's office that they had about eight point eight billion dollars in rainy day -- that's the stuff that they set aside just in case.
But the comptroller's office came through and said no we've got eleven point one billion dollars that's with a 2.3 billion dollar discrepancy comes in the problem is nobody.
Thought to put those two numbers together to see where the discrepancy was.
So it's like who's minding the store -- and it's especially troubling at a time where you noted that this is the kind of thing that seriously undermines.
That that the people's confidence in -- state government at a time where they're turning -- in November and they're asking the taxpayers for even more money.
What's about it is that it was a surplus like they had -- it's one thing when they spend more than they have and I guess it's terrible in both situations.
But when they've spent more than they have you can.
Almost sort of understanding in this case it's bad bookkeeping to the plus side but they think they're out of money and they have this other money.
Laying around it's just -- or they this out of not.
In the end and it just it's it's also funny that you know governor Brown's response when he heard about that the parks money scandal with the say well -- found money this is a good thing.
Yeah it's a good thing when you're rooting around doing your -- you find an extra twenty right.
Your own money in your pocket but when it's when it's billions of dollars of the taxpayers' money that you've had stopped in a pocket some place many good for anybody.
Now -- and some of these where around seven point nine million dollars in a fund for helping problem gamblers.
Or recycling bottles -- whatever that is -- 113.
Million dollars.
Current at prison guard training six point four million dollars how of this money is is laying around I mean how is a prison guard training in Iran.
Rainy day fund I don't really understand the connection do you.
Well that that's a that's a very good question I mean frankly a nobody's gonna -- because they've never done a complete accounting this system this is why Republicans have been shouting for years.
We need to do with systematic top to bottom review of everything that's going on in our bureaucracy but the problem is they're there just seems to be this kind of culture of deception that says we're gonna sequester these things were gonna -- -- -- -- -- for that.
Quote and quote rainy day.
Well you know what -- it's been pouring like a monsoon here for the last two years and this kind of revelation again goes back to the fact that -- just -- -- know who's in charge.
Yeah absolutely like -- mark Rosenberg from the San Jose Mercury news is is working on a follow up to this we have to get him on the air when he does that.
Mark thanks for joining us we appreciate it.
-- welcome.
