It’s a company town

Lots of work, one would hope. But beyond that we know the structures contain giant bureaucracies that function with plenty of rules and people who carry them out. Well, apparently not all the rules are followed.

If you’re looking for some light reading about the subject of state government functionality, check out the just released “Investigations of Improper Activities by State Employees,” written by the California State Auditor. This page-turner covers investigations from July 2000 through January 2001. Chapters flow with conflicts of interest, abuse of position, improper awarding of prize money and the always spicy improper use of confidential information.

A lot of bad behavior among state employees was revealed—we only wonder what wasn’t.

Note the review of the Board of Pharmacy and its gross inefficiency in processing and acting on consumer complaints. But the wrongdoing doesn’t just come from the workers; it’s also the management. The Board of Pharmacy is cited for failure to pay overtime.

For an even more interesting read about the questionable behavior of management in that department and the Department of Consumer Affairs, turn to our cover story "Mary-Alice doesn’t work here anymore" on page 18. See what happens when a determined woman faces a troubled bureaucracy and refuses to knuckle under.