PROGRAM #397 & 398
GUEST: Scott Wildman
TITLE: Former Chairman of the California Joint Legislative Audit Committee
Taped 4-30-04

SCOTT WILDMAN, former Chairman of the California Joint Legislative Audit Committee describes how the Los Angeles Unified School District LAUSD evaded environmental laws covering commerical developments by promoting the Belmont Learning Center as a Joint Use project. “Our report fairly clearly demonstrated that the real goal of the school construction project during that period of time was NOT to build schools. It was to try to generate more money for the District. “There were seven projects like this in LAUSD and none of them—NONE OF THEM have ever generated very much money for the District. And ALL of these project essentially failed.”

PUBLIC SCHOOLS: PROFITS vs TEACHING? Part 2
Taped 4-30-04

As Chairman of the California State Joint Legislative Audit Committee, former Assemblyman Scott Wildman criticized schools and government entities involved in inappropriate financial dealings. Wildman condemned the “Joint Ventures” concept saying, “The problem is, school districts or any government agency is not really in the business of making money, because there’s a risk whenever you’re in the business of making money. You can’t risk the future of our kids.” Wildman also pointed out opposition to his investigations searching for the truth. “There was considerable influence from members of the legislature, including the then Speaker (Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg) of the legislature, in trying to suppress investigations like the Hawaiian Gardens (Casino redevelopment) investigation. "

The following reports (*.pdf) were created as a result of investigations by the California Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC), under direction of its chairman Assemblyman Scott Wildman.