CA: Auditors criticize stem cell institute's spending (vague policies led to pricey meals/airfare)

Mercury News ^ | 2/27/07 | Steve Johnson

[NormsRevenge]

State auditors Tuesday criticized California's $3 billion stem-cell institute for lax travel and entertainment rules that let its officials sometimes get chauffeured rental cars, pricey meals and first-class air fare.

The report by California State Auditor Elaine Howle also faulted the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for using questionable data in justifying its salaries, which in some cases seemed excessive to the auditors.

In addition, the report said, the institute offered vague reasoning for its policies governing how much revenue and other benefits the state should receive from those who develop products from the institute's stem-cell grants.

Moreover, the report concluded that the stem-cell institute ``awarded multiple contracts without a competitive-bidding process and did not maintain documents that demonstrated it received reasonable prices on the goods and services it purchased.''

The report didn't name any officials involved in the questionable practices and it didn't attempt to estimate how much money the institute may have overspent. But Doug Cordiner, chief deputy state auditor, said the flaws cited in the report do not appear to add up to a significant amount of money.

[NormsRevenge]

``As a very young state agency, we are still in the process of establishing and refining key policies and procedures,'' he said. ``We are not only committed to our scientific mission to advance stem cell science to therapies, we are also committed to earning the trust of the public as responsible stewards of the state's funds.''

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Yeah, sure.

[EagleUSA]

Liberals, especially California liberals, are very good at spending money...mainly money that is not theirs, or that they do not have. In spite of what our governor says, the credit card in California is NEVER full.

[wodinoneeye]

Your public tax money at work.....

[HardStarboard]

>>>"As a very young state agency Socialist Enterprise, we are still in the process of establishing and refining key policies and procedures, so that the bulk of the benefit flows to workers for the State and as little as possible to the (little) people.

[AVNevis]

This is one agency I wouldn't mind wasting money. Every dollar they spend on perks is one they are not spending on the research that ends the life of a human being (unless they plan to embrace adult stem cells - unlikely).

[Moosilauke]

"...let its officials sometimes get chauffeured rental cars, pricey meals and first-class air fare.."

What about the other times? I don't think Michael Fox would want them travelling tourist class, given the sanctity of their mission.

[calcowgirl]

$3 Billion--down the drain. Prop 71 was the most obvious initiative fraud ever hoisted on California.