In a free and democratic society, this kind of blatant disregard for the citizenry (who also comprise the taxpayer community) must be brought to light. Generally, though, governmental abuse of the public trust is kept from public display by political forces in government.
It is of special note, then, when the political forces bring this kind of disregard into the light. The California Assembly recently held a meeting of the Budget Subcommitte No. 3 on Resources, Transportation, Agriculture, and the Environment. High on the agenda, and specially highlighted in bold italic lettering, was clear language showing intense dissatisfaction with Caltrans' refusal to provide information for the legislative review of Caltrans' budget.
It even details recommendations for legislative action to cut the salaries of high Caltrans officials in the event that they don't shape up!
We've included four pages of the agenda below. We encourage you to especially read the final section.