Where's the Beef?

By Robert Davis, Point Loma

E-MAIL STORY

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 | In January 2009, two years will have passed since Mayor Jerry Sanders and his executive team proposed a $35 million dollar software system to bring the city into the 21st century. For our taxpayer dollars I believe we were promised a system that would bring the "abacus-like" accounting, logistics, personnel and assets computers systems together under one massive and very expensive master system. A side benefit of such a system could be timely reports, and transparency in a city where opaque budget processes, a past practice, might someday actually end. So since it's been two years, I believe it's time for a few questions about this project and OUR taxpayer dollars.

Where is the marvel of modern web-based software magic? What's happened to the $35 million? When will we see it? Or is this just another rat hole where the taxpayer's money disappears? How much has San Diego Data Processing, a corporation similar to CCDC and SEDC, spent on it? Or to put it a little more clearly ... Hey Jerry & Jay [Chief Operating Officer Goldstone]... where's the beef?

7 Comments so far on this story...

Maybe Jerry Sanders ate the beef all by himself ? It is amazing how much is hidden under the rocks placed carefully by the City to protect their sacred cows.

Posted by s mournian | reply to this comment
November 20, 2008 7:58 pm

I suggest that Voice make a public records request for all documents relating to this computer software purchaase.

Posted by mel | reply to this comment
November 21, 2008 8:00 am

For over a decade, computer-related support for the city has been an expensive addition to all the other expensive functions. The Data Processing Corp. consistently overcharged the city for hardware and services, sometimes by more than 100%. This function should have been contracted out years and years ago, on a series of 3 years contracts. Then, the city would have a lever on malperformance. Of course, Madaffer was their long-time protector and the DP Corp was always a generous political contributor.

Posted by josil | reply to this comment
November 21, 2008 3:19 pm

That's just the thing... San Diego Data Processing *is* contracting out. SDDPC is not part of city government, they are a non-profit corporation servicing several governments. Welcome to "managed competition" with little government oversight.

Posted by JF | reply to this comment
November 21, 2008 6:43 pm

I guess I wasn't clear. "Non-profit" corporations do not consitute "contracting out" as they become the worst of both possible worlds: (1) they are semi-permanent organizations so there is no terminal date on the "contracts" and (2) they are not under the direct control of the mayor, or the council, or the bureaucracy. Data processing should either be in-house or under short term contracts. Non-profit corporations are simply a political device to avoid direct pubclic scrutiny; e.g. watch what happens when Balboa Park disappears from the Park & Rec Dept.

Posted by josil | reply to this comment
November 25, 2008 4:01 pm

You have no experience with the IT industry, do you? Because if you did, you wouldn't be spouting this nonsense.

Posted by Larry | reply to this comment
November 26, 2008 9:33 am

yeah, I dont think we are going to see anything that brings more transparency from Mr Sanders. He is the same mayor after all that brought us prop C so all his $ dealings could now be in secret. The registrar of voters also made the election system much more secret and less transparent by centralizing tabulation and buying Diebold optical scanners leaving supervision to the eyes of a few like Michael Vu assis registrar that resigned in disgrace from Ohio in 2004. I would argue, transparency would save the city millions. Citizens have the best accounting eyes in SD and they have already pointed out some serious problems.

Posted by christine | reply to this comment
November 23, 2008 8:33 pm

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