With the state's deficit at $20 billion and growing, it's a slap in the face to taxpayers that state agencies continue to flush millions upon millions of dollars down the toilet.

Here's the latest in government waste, fraud and abuse: According to the Office of the Inspector General, as reported by California Taxpayer's Association, prison pharmacy staff is "concerned about the sheer amount of wasted medication in prison pharmacies."

Understandably so, because the waste is a result of incredible inefficiencies - like computer systems so antiquated that old-fashioned paper tallies are commonly used. An audit estimates at least $13 million is wasted every year.

Highlights of waste from the report include:

• "Failure to restock millions of dollars in unused medications each year."

• "The lack of adherence to the formulary, which is an approved list of medications, resulting in millions of dollars overspent on medications each year."

• "Inconsistent practices among prisons when transferring inmates with medications, resulting in excess medications that are most often destroyed."

• "There are almost no procedures for identifying and restocking medications. This managerial void costs taxpayers at least $7.7 million, and likely close to $20 million, every year."

• "CDCR clinicians routinely prescribe non-formulary medications, costing taxpayers at least another $5.5 million in 2009 alone."

• "Prison pharmacies routinely generate unnecessary prescription refills, which are often destroyed."

Government waste is intolerable, as are the bureaucrats who run these programs and who seem to have little or no regard for the taxpayers who foot the bills.

Bottom line: How dare legislators propose to take more money from taxpayers with this type of waste and misuse taking place.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is once again garnering publicity over their harmful diesel regulations. But, this time it might actually be good news.

In their board meeting last week, CARB members discussed the possibility of delaying the regulations they adopted in 2007 and 2008, which require truck owners to retrofit their vehicles to meet difficult emission standards. Thanks to an error in their computer system, CARB has accused these trucks of emitting twice the amount of pollutants than what’s actually been produced. In reality, trucks are emitting 21 to 42 less tons of nitrogen oxide per-day than CARB originally thought.

CARB has postponed making an official decision on this issue until the September board meeting. In the meantime, thanks to the board’s drawn-out and inefficient process, businesses will continue to be harmed by these regulations. I can only hope CARB members eventually make the right decision for California’s hard working men and women – particularly in this tough economy.