530-993-4379
Sierra Booster
  • Home
  • Newspaper
    • Latest News
    • Letters to the Editor >
      • Submit Letter to the Editor
    • Old News Archive
    • Photo Tour
    • Events
    • About Us
    • SUBSCRIBE
  • Advertiser Directory
    • Advertiser Press Releases
    • Website Sponsors
    • Advertiser Area
  • Buy Ads - Services
  • Fishing Report
  • Contact Us
  • Admin Log In

‘Secret’ DMV office serving California lawmakers would be closed under GOP proposal -from the Sacramento Bee

4/5/2019

0 Comments

 

April 04, 2019 01:11 PM, Updated April 04, 2019 04:56 PM

‘Secret’ DMV office could be shut down, under plan from Kevin Kiley

California's Department of Motor Vehicles operates a special office to assist lawmakers, Capitol staff members and constituents. It could soon be shut down if lawmakers support a bill from Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Granite Bay. By Bryan Anderson

It’s all but impossible to find for those who don’t know what they’re looking for.
Room 121 rests at the end of an isolated hallway across the street from the Capitol, is locked at all times and has no signage whatsoever. The only indicator of its existence is a peephole outside the front door.
The special Department of Motor Vehicles office is closed to the public, and if one Republican gets his way, it will be closed to the lawmakers and Capitol staff members using it.
“There’s a secret DMV across from the state Capitol with streamlined service that’s only available to members of the Legislature and a select group of political insiders,” said Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley of Granite Bay. “This is supposed to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people, not an oligarchy where a gilded political class enjoys privileges that aren’t available to the people that we represent.”
The three workers inside the office serve an important purpose, though. Despite perceptions that lawmakers flood into the office to renew their licenses and enjoy special perks, the vast majority of their time is spent addressing concerns from Californians who ask their state lawmakers for help sorting out their problems with the DMV.
While it wouldn’t comment on Assembly Bill 862, the DMV said in a statement the office “serves as a primary point of contact for more than 10,000 constituent services questions and concerns sent to legislative offices each year.”
The department added that about 90 percent of the work the staff does in the office “is related to assisting customers who have contacted their state representatives to resolve DMV issues.” Among many things, the employees review records, assist with license suspension issues and help customers make appointments.
Kiley’s proposal would prevent the DMV from operating any office that is closed to the public. He still wants the DMV to handle concerns lawmakers get from their constituents, but he wants the employees transferred from the “secret” office to DMV headquarters in Sacramento.
“We are closing down the office as much as it operates as a DMV field office,” Kiley said. “But in terms of fielding constituent concerns, that is a more general function that will continue to operate.”
Kiley is in the midst of a special election campaign against fellow Republican Assemblyman Brian Dahle for the Senate seat vacated by Board of Equalization member Ted Gaines. Their election is scheduled for June 4.
Even if the bill passes and the office closes, there’s nothing that would prevent lawmakers from accessing special DMV privileges. They’d still be able to make what some describe as “manager’s appointments,” which allows them to bypass long lines.
Still, these special appointments are mostly given to ordinary DMV customers who bring their concerns to lawmakers and staff members. Many lawmakers, including Kiley, Assemblyman Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, and Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, refuse to take advantage of the perks and instead choose to wait in regular DMV offices.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    April 2014
    September 2009

    Categories

    All
    2015
    Sierra County News

    RSS Feed

    Vie
    ​w Old News

CONTACT US:

Sierra Booster Newspaper
PO Box 8
Loyalton, CA 96118
Phone: 530-993-4379
Fax: 844-272-8583
Email: jbuck@psln.com

Website Privacy Policy​
Picture
Local Weather
©Copyright Sierra Booster - Sierra County News - Editorial
Website by Chamber Nation