A new report by the California Legislature’s Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes blasted the State Controller’s Office for its management and its lack of accurate communication regarding the $350 million state payroll project.

From the report’s most damning and damaging words regarding the Controller’s obfuscation:

The Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes found a lack of candor at times with the Legislature about the project’s difficulties. At some of its darkest moments, the State Controller’s Office (SCO) delivered upbeat reports to legislators that only hinted of the turmoil churning within the project.

This comes despite a woeful, deplorable, and at times, pathetic attempt at a legislative hearing in May to persuade the legislature to postpone any assessment of the failed 21st Century project.

The Controllers’ minions and their ally from the Department of Finance cited the specious argument that such an assessment might “jeopardize” the state’s legal position in its lawsuit against vendor SAP.

The LAO officials however stuck to their guns at the hearing stating that such lessons learned from an assessment could potentially save the state far more than any subsequent lawsuit and TechLeader.TV agrees.

The SacBee’s Jon Ortiz provides this:

Controller John Chiang’s office spun an upbeat message about efforts to overhaul the state’s aging payroll system for years, while behind the scenes the massive IT project was in disarray, according to a new state analysis released this morning.

Ouch!

Read more here: California payroll overhaul vexed by complexity, poor oversight

Maybe now the Legislature will take TechLeader.TV’s  advice from my article in theSan Diego Tribune:

State Payroll Project: Take It Away from Controller