The Portland Tribune recently reported "Three years after state auditors identified security weaknesses at Oregon’s main data center in Salem, the state has yet to fix some of the problems."
The legislature was told in 2005 that consolidating 12 state agency computer systems would pay for itself and make citizen data more secure. It sounded too good to be true and sure enough, it was. The bureaucrats lied to the legislature as the state data center has not only cost much more than predicted, but now we learn that citizens data is being hacked and is even less secure than before the expensive consolidation.
So, it’s reasonable to ask: are Oregon bureaucrats capable of implementing any IT system that performs as predicted and on budget? This debacle joins a long list of failed computer projects like the DMV, PERS, state radio network and the mother of all failures, Cover Oregon. There is a common theme here: Legislators act like Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football, time after time falling for the lies of bureaucrats about how they’ll do the project right the next time if we give them one more chance! Of course, the crony business lobby is right in there backing up the bureaucrats false promises, convincing legislators of both parties that future performance has nothing to do with past failures.
Will they ever learn?
A recent report shows that many scandalized programs such as the stimulus, CDC, healthcare, etc. have been rebranded to have an even onerous effect. American Commitment has shown these programs have not only be funded but the rules changed so that much of the federal money ("grant money") being used by these "new" programs are used illegally for lobbying purposes.
"All of these programs use your federal tax dollars to raise your taxes and limit your freedom at the local levels. Specifically, they provide taxpayer-funded grants for television advertising, lobbying campaigns, and other activities aimed at raising taxes on soft drinks, imposing zoning restrictions on fast food restaurants, imposing smoking bans, and other nanny-state favorites."
Ever wondered why it seems like public sector unions have all the money and win all the races? They have direct access to taxpayer money, little motivation for fiscal accountability, and fund only left leaning progressive candidates.
Watch Dog did a recent report on this issue and has noticed the spending is noticed. It has been argued all public sector union spending is political and some conservative elected officials are callng "foul".
"Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, recently signed an executive order asserting mandatory public-sector union dues violate the First Amendment because all government union business is political."
