The wait times at DMVs feel like they get longer and longer every year. Maybe too many workers are taking a little snooze break on the clock or maybe they're all just sitting in the break room laughing at our misery. Whatever the case, it seems like the lines won't be getting much shorter any time soon.
An official audit order looking into California's department of Motor Vehicle's management was refused by state lawmakers who sided with the Brown administration in disapproval.
After two hours of debate, the audit request was denied.
Democratic Senators Ben Allen of Santa Monica, Jim Beall of San Jose and Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens all failed to support the request for the audit.
Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson led the movement in support of the audit and said "Gov. jerry Brown was to blame for his refusal to chime in on the issue," according to the sacbee.
The administration's DMV director, Jean Shiomoto claimed an audit would "strain" department resources and take focus away from reducing wait times at a budget hearing Tuesday.
Patterson interjected Shiomoto's statements saying,
“So you’re basically talking about your executives going to have a little more work to do. Is that what you’re saying?” Patterson asked.
Gov. Brown is looking at a more immediate fix and complains the audit would take several months.
“(The long wait times) needs to get fixed,” Brown’s office said in a statement. “We’re throwing everything at it and look forward to the legislature approving more DMV staff as quickly as possible.”
DMV officials say they will use $17 million in additional funding that lawmakers approved to hire another 230 staff.
Assemblyman Patterson blamed the Senate Democrats after the audit order failed,
“I’m not surprised,” he said, “that politics trumped the very important responsibilities that these legislators had to the people of California.”
Listen below to John's interview with Assemblyman Jim Patterson.
Photo: Getty Images