| First quarter 2010 - California Governor Arnold | | | | math." |
| Schwarzenegger made an official order that | | | | Now, let's ignore politics and evaluate the "excuse" |
| California state worker salaries be adjusted to | | | | for a moment. Computers do math. They don't |
| minimum wage during the budget impasse. | | | | reason and even the text on this page is some |
| Needless to say, state workers are furious and | | | | sort of math equation. So, the idea of a computer |
| the elected state controller isn't being helpful. | | | | not doing the math is, well, a fallacy. |
| What is the controller's excuse for not complying | | | | In an interview with the LA times, Kousik Sen, a |
| with the "Governator's" request? The payroll | | | | computer science professor at UC Berkley, said |
| system is not able to do the math. Or, a more | | | | "Reprogramming such an old system could lead to |
| direct quote from the LA Times: | | | | unintended consequences and take months to get |
| "Last week Chiang [CA controller] released a | | | | right. But I think if they have experts in the |
| report calling the task of getting the computer | | | | system, it probably could have been done. Seven |
| system to reduce pay while complying with | | | | years is a good amount of time." |
| federal labor laws an unsolvable puzzle." | | | | The state payroll system was designed more |
| Now for the back story.... | | | | than 60 years ago and was last redesigned in the |
| In 2003, Schwarzenegger issued the same | | | | 1970s. Over that time, it has been updated to |
| mandate which was blocked by the then elected | | | | accommodate a variety of changes. So, the mere |
| controller, Steve Westly. However, the California | | | | argument that it cannot compute these changes |
| Supreme Court ruled that during a budget | | | | is unbelievable. |
| impasse, state workers could be paid no more | | | | But, for the sake of a fair argument, assume the |
| than the federal minimum wage. Since that order | | | | controller is correct. Payroll companies should be |
| (seven years ago now), the governor's order has | | | | lined up at the door touting their system because |
| been met with a consistent response from the | | | | (let's face it) California's payroll system needs an |
| controller: "Our computer system cannot do the | | | | update. |