California fined for bad network

According to NetworkWorld, California paid $1.2 billion in federal penalties over the past ten years because it can't create a statewide computer network to track and collect court-ordered child support payments to save its life.

It is not for want of trying. The state has five projects that failed which have cost about $611 million.

Then there is the cost of having lots of children of low-income families who didn't get State aid because of the shortcomings of the State's network.

California is getting to the end of a $1.6 billion child support computer system that officials hope will end the penalties and give the state a $180 million penalty refund.

If they had built it when they were supposed to have they would have gotten nearly 90 per cent of the bill footed by central government.

More here.