tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695442418381050569.post6527613004226083367..comments2023-10-17T05:26:57.310-07:00Comments on The Arroyo Seco Journal: Van de Kamps Controversy Spurs State Audit of College DistrictEdward Riverahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13894242514408810874noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695442418381050569.post-90130408598674182752011-08-12T22:15:02.298-07:002011-08-12T22:15:02.298-07:00This article is an excellent summation of a very c...This article is an excellent summation of a very complex audit and history.<br /><br />It is worth noting that the architect of these ambiguous interpretations and spagetti tangle of rationalizations facilitating the irresponsible binge of bond excesses was LACCD general council Camille Goulet. At the very least she must leave and remove her considerable negative influence. It is she who has continued the ridiculous contortions of logic of the cover-up - even unto denying the Controller's office access to records his office has every right to.<br /><br />Even more importantly we must keep firmly mindful that she has done all of this to please a shamefully irresponsible and corrupt LACCD Board of Trustees. Egos, greed and irresponsibly have reigned at LACCD. The worst and longest standing members of the Board are Field, <br />Pearlman and Candaele. They must resign. If they have not the decency to do so of their own volition then they must be pressed by their fellow Board Members and the voters to do so.<br /><br />Controller Chiang is to be commended for persevering and auditing this arrogant and out of control district in the face of great difficulty and obstruction, to say nothing of overbearing political pressure by a corrupt facton of the Democratic Party. A party which, here in California and especially in Los Angeles, has too many members who reside in the well lined pockets of developers and union officials who have forgotten their real purpose.Mikihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12068989672509000088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3695442418381050569.post-73421484845014804662011-08-12T21:39:14.232-07:002011-08-12T21:39:14.232-07:00"Controller Chiang has substantially agreed w..."Controller Chiang has substantially agreed with the Van de Kamps Coalition's allegations of LACCD misuse of more than $100 million of bond funds, hiring an unqualified Inspector General - possibly to cover up more serious wrongdoing, and the complete lack of independence by the current Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee. But Chiang states in his audit that he was thwarted in his investigation of possible wrongdoing concerning expenditures at the Northeast Van de Kamps site because the District claimed it would not turn over Van de Kamps documents. We know of no exemption in the public records act that legitimately allows LACCD to withhold the kind of documents Chiang seeks to review. We strongly urge Controller Chiang to pursue Public Records Act litigation if necessary to force LACCD's General Counsel, Camille Goulet, to turn over these documents. The people of California are entitled to know how their tax dollars have been spent by the government. That is a fundamental civil right of the people and Chiang should not leave it to citizens to have to file a records lawsuit when he has the resources to investigate and recover his costs of the investigation from the stonewalling of LACCD's General Counsel, Camille Goulet."VDK Coalitionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12150244746828552175noreply@blogger.com