Laura Chick to Become State's Stimulus Fiscal Watchdog

Watch out, Sacramento and local governments statewide! City Controller Laura Chick announced today she is leaving her Los Angeles post a few months early to become the "first-in-the-nation" Inspector General to oversee the use of federal economic stimulus funds given to the state and local municipalities. "I am coming to Sacramento to deter, detect and disclose any waste, fraud and abuse of these precious taxpayer dollars," she said in a prepared statement. She begins her new $175,000-a-year job on April 27th. Between then and July 1st when Controller-Elect Wendy Greuel takes office, Chick's top deputy, Rushmore Cervantes, will assume duties.