State Budget Analysis Available Online

Washington, D.C.–Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released the California Piglet Book, a compilation of state budget waste, in conjunction with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation (HJTF).

“As California’s budget deficit reaches $38 billion and the state debates increasing taxes, it is the perfect time for CAGW and HJTF to publish a Piglet Book,” CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “There are hundreds of areas in the state budget where wasteful spending can be eliminated without affecting essential services.”

The California Piglet Book combines elements of two perennial CAGW publications, the Congressional Pig Book and Prime Cuts, both published annually and dealing with federal government pork and waste.  As part of its on-going examination of waste at every level of government, CAGW has chosen California as the latest state in its Piglet Book series.

The California Piglet Book recommends $5.1 billion worth of cost reductions, from cutting $2.5 billion in waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the Medi-Cal program to eliminating $200 million in overpayments in the food stamp.  The report concludes that California must take immediate action to ensure a strong fiscal future for taxpayers. 

“California should establish a state government waste commission to analyze every nook and cranny of the California budget to cut waste,” Schatz concluded.  “With private sector expertise and the help of nonprofit organizations such as the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation, the commission would scrutinize expenditures to ensure that every tax dollar is accounted for and follow up to make sure the waste is eliminated.”

The California report is now available to the public in PDF format from the CAGW website at:

http://www.cagw.org

For a hard copy, call CAGW at 202-467-5300.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.