Business

Struggling Calif. City Spent $420K+ on iPads for Public Employees

Sacramento, California Spent $420K on iPads for Public EmployeesDespite the fact that the city is wrestling with some serious financial issues, officials in Sacramento, Calif., reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer’s dollars on iPads for public employees, CBS San Francisco reports.

“Records show that state agencies have spent $423,000 on iPads during the 19 months since Gov. Jerry Brown declared that his administration would do away with cell phones and cars for government workers,” according to the report.

“But, state records reveal that the departments of Veterans Affairs, Water Resources, and General Services, as well as the Board of Equalization and Caltrans, are among the agencies that have made iPad purchases during that time,” the report adds.

Unsurprisingly, people weren’t too thrilled when they found out.

Tulare Republican Assemblywoman Connie Conway said the purchases were, “the kind of double standard that outrages taxpaying citizens and explains why they don’t trust us.”

The Department of Motor Vehicles has been ordered by the governor’s office to turn over the 11 iPads they purchased.

But, DMV aside, why were any of these agencies buying iPads?

“An administration spokesman also suggested that some iPad buys were justified because they were being used by doctors, engineers and other state-employed professionals who would otherwise rely on potentially pricier laptops,” CBS San Fran reports.

“He did acknowledge that, in many cases, the devices are little more than a luxury that sends the wrong message during hard times — not to mention an election year,” the report adds.

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

All photos courtesy the AP.

Comments (46)

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  • Noah_fing-whey
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 6:34am

    What people are really mad about is that CA is not yet buying iPads for illegals. Stay tuned for a ballot initiative.

    Report Post »  
  • tankyjo
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 12:14am

    big freaking deal here, this Calizuela we’re talking about.

    Report Post » tankyjo  
  • reloader7.62
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:40pm

    Nothing is ever going to change as long as government can generate money from taxes,fees and service in ever increasing amount on whatever they choose to apply those to and individuals will keep paying it. Government doesn’t have to balance anything,they just vote themselves raises and spending increases at taxpayers expense to cover whatever they desire,while you the taxpayer have to do without or they give you some half baked government program or service that you could have gotten better with your own money. Many of you already know this nation is already nearly 16 Trillion dollars in debt which we can never pay off,ask yourself how much is it going to cost the average taxpayer to fund Social Security,Medicare and the Prescription Drug Program which as of today has a unfunded liability of over 120 Trillion dollars and that doesn’t include public sector pension plans which are only 41% funded and short by almost 5 Trillion dollars. So not only are you going to continue to cough up moneys to your local and state governments but way way more to the federal government. So for all you taxpayers out there regardless of income get ready to pay on average about 2 Million in taxes over your lifetime just for what we owe now. Greece is the Word,get used to it because it coming soon.

    Report Post » reloader7.62  
    • Wolfgang the Gray
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 8:44pm

      It’s going to change when the economy collapses and nobody in the world wants to buy our debt anymore. That will be our Weimar and Zimbabwe moment when the Dollar is worthless and nobody is going to be able to buy anything. When the money spigot goes dry, that is when the changes will come.

      Report Post » Wolfgang the Gray  
  • dtsiouts
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:29pm

    The Nations Founders wanted each state to be an experimental lab, to see how different ways of governing a state would affect the outcome of living in that state. The good news was that if it was a failed experiment, (as it is in California’s recent history), and the state refused to recognize this, the ultimate response was for the state’s residents to move to a “different experiment”. Well these Californians, for the past too many years, have ignored the failings of their “experiment”. Their behavior is nothing new and reinforces the idea that if an idea doesn’t work, maybe you should consider changing it. They never caught on in California, so guess what? Here they are, the victims of their own stupidity with nowhere to turn. I wish the State well, but I think it is right at the top of the list of “repeatedly and consistently failed experiments” in statehood.
    RIP California, we hardly got to know ya’!

    Report Post »  
  • Bobaz
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:16pm

    Oh for the life of a public employee. Over paid, under worked, golden retirement pension, cadillac health care, 200+ vacation hours per year, 100+ sick leave hours per year, eleven national holidays, not chance of ever being fired for non-performance and now IPads. What a great state is California.

    Report Post »  
  • FANGS
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:05pm

    Find out who authorized it and get a couple Marine Snipers to make sure it doesn’t happen again. America no longer has laws.

    Report Post »  
  • Exrepublisheep
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:56pm

    Anyone for a kick-back?

    Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
  • mtsnj
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:35pm

    cmon you just can’t play Angry Birds on a crappy iphone, you need a better screen..The pigs in California are alive and well.

    Report Post »  
  • Patriottoo
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:32pm

    Wow! Ipads are running engineering software now! Gotta call BS on that one.

    Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:10pm

    And they just need the rich to pay a little more,,,,,,so they can squander , a little more……..

    Report Post »  
  • ColoradoMaverick
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:07pm

    Heads should roll on this one. Whoever had a hand in any of this needs to join the ranks of the unemployed.

    Report Post » ColoradoMaverick  
  • Shiroi Raion
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:05pm

    This is one of the best arguments against big government. The bigger the government, the more corruption. People can’t find jobs and the government is taxing us so they can have more toys, buy votes and cronies, waste money on idiotic studies like the sex habits of Chinese prostitutes, the correlation of human births near natural stork habitats…
    The more they get, the more they want and they don’t care about the people. GSA is still abusing their power, ignoring the law, and wasting taxpayer dollars even after being caught in that huge scandal. The best way to decrease corruption is to decrease the number of people in government.

    Report Post » Shiroi Raion  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:54pm

    To be used for viewing copious amounts of Porn………………no doubt.

    Report Post »  
  • RightThinking1
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:52pm

    Wow! That’s a lot of iPads. According to ads here on the Blaze, you can buy one for $29.95….

    Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:01pm

      Oh, that’s so good….

      The Governor said they were getting rid of Iphones, can’t you use an Ipad for facetime?

      Report Post »  
  • classicalgas
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:50pm

    Another example of dumbazz liberal thinking.
    California, please go broke. I do not think that taxpayers are going to rescue you because you are so stupid.
    Maybe Obama can be elected your governor when he is no longer the President of the United States. He can spend more than all of you put together. You will solve all of your problems if you increase spending……rigggght.

    Report Post » classicalgas  
    • FREEDOMoverFEAR
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:58pm

      Screw Tulare, CA the police department there took a Springfield, XD and a Laptop from me in ‘09 and they refused to return it. I sued and won in court but they still refused to return it and instead they just started harrasing me so I just moved the hell out of town. Best decision ever. My lawyer said that the Tulare police department did that sort of thing all the time.

      Report Post » FREEDOMoverFEAR  
    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:05pm

      You know, I’ve been worried about my home state, but I’m starting to think it should go broke, then when there is nothing left for illegals to steal in education, healthcare and jobs, maybe they will go home. The destruction in California is directly related to illegals being allowed every privilage that Americans have in spite of not being here fairly and legaly. I witnessed it, my children witnessed it, all good years ago home grown Californians witnessed it. The government did nothing to stop the drain, absolutely nothing to stop it. Their greed and power seeking for votes destroyed a great state. Good businesses founded by other Americans moving to the Golden state have given up and left, as well as home grown ones. The homeowners can’t just leave (the ones who still have one), the infrastructure is rotting and they yell raise taxes in Sacramento thinking foolishly that will work. It’s become dirtier, meaner in the streets, and the once beautifull golden state is self destructing. It makes me weep for it. My husband and I were born there, our children were born there, no one likes to see their home desecrated.

      Report Post »  
    • starman70
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:35pm

      @ JENNY LIND:

      Just look at the story just above this one regarding Berkley offering $75,000 for sex change operations for students. And you wonder why the state is going broke? While I’m sure that not many students are taking advantage of this “Opportunity”, just by publishing the offer might cause students from other states, who wish such a service to flock to Berkley.

      There is a saying across the land that when it comes to outrageous stories, ONLY IN CALIFORNIA.I visited California in 1970 and stayed in LA. Traveled to Frisco and all of it was beautiful, Clean and a pleasure to visit. Of course that was before the hippie and mexican invasions. Here in the east, it has been said that if you want cadillac welfare, just move to California. I guess a lot of them did.

      I’m sorry to see your state being destroyed by the far left liberals. It’s going to be up to the citizens to turn the state around. I hope you and other like minded citizens can accomplish it.

      Report Post »  
    • mydh12
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:08pm

      Out-of-control spending because of illegals, public sector unions, and decreased revenues because of environmentalists. Those three Democrat special-interest groups have truly wrecked the state of California. They have collaborated with the Dem politicians so that nothing conservative can be passed in the legislature to correct the downward spiral. This state is going under. I have lived here for over 30 years. Love the weather, but it’s going to get bad when the checks stop coming.

      Report Post »  
  • SCREW-WINDOWS
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:50pm

    Excellent investment in 6 mnths they will be out of fashion.

    Report Post » SCREW-WINDOWS  
  • sallyredneck
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:49pm

    We must empty the coffers while we still are allowed to have our fun.

    Report Post »  
  • michael48
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:45pm

    64 years in kalifornica…moved to America…under cover of night..I have a buss….good way to get a one way to gitmo with the planet piglosi comrade crowd…BTW..ENTIRE family and employees…

    Report Post »  
  • Larry E
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:45pm

    I hope that all the Kalifornians who voted for Moonbat Jerry Brown are happy and enjoying the wonderfulness of his misadministration.

    Report Post »  
  • 502_eagle
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:44pm

    It’s goverment employees, they built the ipad.

    Report Post » 502_eagle  
  • BlackCrow
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:38pm

    Let them go broke and lay everybody off. Then they will have fancy i-Pads so they can update their resumes and apply for unemployment.

    How many ways can you say STUPID?

    Report Post » BlackCrow  
    • 502_eagle
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:48pm

      Obama
      Biden
      Pelosi
      Reid
      MSNBC
      man I could spell it alot ways. Don’t have that much time on my hands.

      Report Post » 502_eagle  
  • Eric_The_Red_State
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:37pm

    What do Salmon and Terrorists have in common?

    They both head for the hills when the seals show up!

    Report Post » Eric_The_Red_State  
    • FREEDOMoverFEAR
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:50pm

      Look at my picture I’m standing next to a Seal and I look way tougher! GRRRRRRR

      Report Post » FREEDOMoverFEAR  
  • ltdan
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:37pm

    No worries California, the rest of the States will bail you out, just keep on spending. Show the rest of the Country what to expect when liberal are in charge, failed cities, run a muck illegal immigration, one of the highest unemployment in the rest of the country, deteriorating infrastructure, but heck we have great weather.

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:36pm

    Well they ARE very high resolution. You can’t expect Dems to view porn in low resolution, can you?

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • WindyDualism
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:43pm

      Twould be a travesty. No offense to the t’s in the lgblt groups.

      Report Post »  
    • fog09
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:47pm

      Now that’s funny!

      Report Post »  
    • A.D.Hominem
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:54pm

      Well, Gonzo, if it’s Dem-on-Dem porn, then the lower the resolution, the better.

      Report Post »  
  • WindyDualism
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:32pm

    Peeps needs to know where the weed shops be.

    Report Post »  
    • FREEDOMoverFEAR
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:52pm

      Just drive around and look for green crosses you don’t need an Ipad much less a map.

      Report Post » FREEDOMoverFEAR  
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