Florez questions big pay bonuses during cash crisis
Central Valley Regional Center votes to hand employees $500,000 in “leftover” funds
 
SACRAMENTO – Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter, today asked the executive director of the Central Valley Regional Center, which contracts with the state to provide services to the developmentally disabled, to address concerns raised by the Center’s decision to hand out half a million dollars in pay bonuses even as client services face deep cuts.
 
In a letter today to Robert Riddick, Florez expresses his concern that the large sum of money involved in this time of Budget crisis, as well as news the board voted in private and has not made public the minutes of the meeting, create the appearance of impropriety.
 
Florez went on to ask the board’s rationale in determining the funds, which were deemed “leftover,” would not be better spent to support direct client services or returned to the state’s General Fund.  He also asked Riddick for details of the meeting, who will receive these funds, and to be provided with a copy of the meeting’s minutes so he can better understand the reasoning behind the action taken.
 
Attached is a copy of today’s letter from Florez to Riddick.
07-07-09 cv regional center.pdf   
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For Immediate Release                          Jennifer Hanson
July 7, 2009                                           916-651-4016