State controller reviews redevelopment agencies

Re­devel­op­ment agen­cies in Cali­for­nia il­leg­ally short­changed schools by at least $40 mil­lion last year, for­cing the state to make up the money, ac­cord­ing to find­ings re­leased Monday morn­ing by State Con­trol­ler John Chi­ang.

The re­view of re­devel­op­ment agen­cies comes as the Le­gis­lature is poised to vote on Gov. Jerrry Brown’s pro­pos­al to elim­in­ate mu­ni­cip­al re­devel­op­ment agen­cies as part of his budget plan. One city, Palm Desert, spent pub­lic money meant for im­prov­ing slums and blight on a lux­ury golf course.

Read more: Re­devel­op­ment agen­cies short­changed Cali­for­nia schools $40 mil­lion, con­trol­ler’s re­view finds