STRATFORD, CA - APRIL 24: Water is pumped into an irrigation canal at an almond orchard on April 24, 2015 in Firebaugh, California. As California enters its fourth year of severe drought, farmers in the Central Valley are struggling to keep crops watered as wells run dry and government water allocations have been reduced or terminated. Many have opted to leave acres of their fields fallow. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Californians get screwed by water districts, and we've discovered that a number of water districts are guilty of some pretty egregious spending and scheming.
One water district up in the Central Valley is guilty of giving its employees all kinds of absurd perks and benefits.
Employees at Panoche Water District based in Firebaugh got free housing, interest free loans, and credit cards.
The credit cards were used to buy season tickets to Oakland A's and Raiders games, and tickets to a Katy Perry concert.
The district handed out $86,000 in interest free loans to its employers for over two years. One employee had been planning to settle a $30,000 debt with $50 payments, a schedule that would take more than 23 years to fulfill.
Accounting was so mismanaged, that it's likely the district paid for personal purchases to Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Sunglass Hut.
Auditors also found that the district's general manager had been living in a home paid for by the district since 1992.
That wasn't reported in his payroll taxes.
Oh, and here's more on top of all that.
The district made 50 vehicles available to employees and administrators to drive home each day.
The State Attorney General whether to file criminal charges, and auditors are considering sending the case to state and federal tax authorities.
Prosecute these thugs to the fullest extent!
How could they get away with this for so long? This is so gross and sickening, and it embodies everything that's wrong with California.
There's a special place in Hell for the people at the Panoche Water District, and all the other people just like them who are ripping off the taxpayers.
Read more at the Napa Valley Register.