State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, issued a scathing news release today accusing State Controller John Chiang of requesting $2 million in new furniture for his staff in the past seven months.

“How can the controller justify this action? People are hurting in this state. The Legislature is trying to fix a $42 billion deficit, which the controller reminds us grows larger every day. And yet the controller, who is responsible for our money, feels it is acceptable to take more unnecessary funding for his own office. I can’t even express my disgust with this behavior,” Maldonado wrote.

“Where are Chiang’s priorities? How can he say to the media that we’re out of money and he has to issue IOUs but behind closed doors buy new furniture for his office? Chiang needs a reality check. We should be putting the needs of our constituents first, not the need for nicer offices.

Chiang’s office fired back that Maldonado’s claims are “pathetic.” Had the lawmaker done his homework, the controller’s office said, he’d know that the office expansion project requiring this furniture was begun before Chiang took office, and that he already has cut its cost by more than half yet still will bring his staff’s offices into compliance with workplace safety and disability laws.

“We would urge the Senator to check his math, stop grand-standing and get back to work on negotiating a solution to the State’s $42 billion budget gap, and the lack of money to fund programs Californians depend on their legislators to provide,” Chiang’s release said.

Read both their statements in their entirety, after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »