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Here is an excerpt of an artilce in the May/June 2014 Public Administration Review based on a study of corruption by state. You guys peaked my interest so I did some digging. The results are interesting and seem to follow the general perception with some exceptions. You will note that California is ranked in the least corrupt third group.

Ranking America's ten most and least corrupt states




By Richard L. Cassin | Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 10:28AM
5166730-25035814-thumbnail.jpg
Click image to enlarge (Courtesy of the Public Administration Review)A study by Indiana University and the City University of Hong Kong has ranked the U.S. states from least to most corrupt, with Mississippi scoring worst and Oregon as best.

In the 10 most corrupt states, public spending averaged $1,308 extra per capita — 5.2% of the mean per capita expenditure for all 50 states, the study found.

There was a strong correlation between higher levels of public spending and corruption in all the worst states except South Dakota.

Researchers examined 25,000 convictions for violating federal anti-corruption laws between 1976 and 2008.

The results produced a "corruption index" for all 50 states comparing convictions and the number of government employees.

The study ranked the ten most corrupt states (from worst at number one) as follows:

The worst states generally spent more per capita for construction, government employee wages, and law enforcement, the study found.

1. Mississippi
2. Louisiana
3. Tennessee
4. Illinois
5. Pennsylvania
6. Alabama
7. Alaska
8. South Dakota
9. Kentucky
10. Florida

And the laggards typically undertook big infrastructure projects with money trails that weren't fully transparent, according to the findings.

The worst-ranked states usually showed lower funding for public welfare, education, and health.

Using the same methodology, the study ranked the 10 least corrupt states as:

A full copy of the study is available in the May/June 2014 Public Administration Review here.

1. Oregon
2. Washington
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska
5. Iowa
6. Vermont
7. Utah
8. New Hampshire
9. Colorado
10. Kansas
 
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But, when you look at this:

"The U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia reported 336 federal convictions over that time period," Wilson said. "New Jersey’s U.S. attorney reported 428 convictions; and the four U.S. attorneys who oversee Texas reported 775 convictions. By contrast, Oregon registered just 42 convictions during that period." The most corrupt states -- Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee -- registered more than four times more convictions than the least-corrupt states. - See more at: http://fcpablog.squarespace.com/blog/2014/9/3/how-does-oregon-keep-itself-so-clean.html#sthash.WJZIiErX.dpuf .
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Is it more corruption, or more zealous law enforcement? Using this method, number of convictions, the best way to show low or no corruption is to quit enforcing the anti-corruption laws, or, since it is based on convictions, quit building good enough cases to achieve convictions from charges made. Otherwise, how does New Jersey with its generally smelly reputation avoid being in the top 10, or even the top 2 or 3? As someone else has said, where is the District of Columbia?
 
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This article is number 10 in the Fallows series and is a point-by-point rebuttal of the criticisms in the prior article.
 
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Will California’s First High Speed Train go to Las Vegas?

It is looking more and more that California’s first High Speed Train will go to Las Vegas. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, a major supporter of California- Las Vegas High Speed Rail service, says he has been talking with Governor Brown about the future of California-Las Vegas High Speed Rail. Senator Reid has said that an announcement about a new financial plan for the project will be made soon that will get Las Vegas High Speed Rail back on track.
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As long as California doesn't pay a dime for it and is paid for the use of the stations and tracks.
 
On corruption:

Corruption isn't always bad. Chicago has thrived on corruption from very early -- when the city leaders bribed the railroads to put their terminals in Chicago rather than the natural location, Gary.

Clean, honest Gary has suffered ever since, while Chicago has thrived.

My point is that the Chicago system is a system, a culture, it works. You can call it corruption, but it's a system of favors where the alderman "brings home the pork" for "his people", and if he lines his own nest at the same time, people don't complain too much. If he doesn't do what his voters want, if he treats too many of them as if they "don't matter", well *then* you get a huge fight; the rise of Mayor Washington has been described as the black community demanding in on the system, which had been excluding them. They are now part of the system.

Not all corruption is like that. Some corruption is totally destructive to society. It's worth distinguishing between "corruption" which has some sort of loyalty to the community, and raw smash-and-loot jobs.
 
Corruption is corruption. And New Jersey, under Governor Chris Christie, is undoubtedly the worst. And to think he was a front runner for a Republican presidential candidate.

The conviction rate does not indicate diddly squat, except perhaps how corrupt the justice branch is - highly in Jersey.
 
Green Maned Lion said:
Corruption is corruption. And New Jersey, under Governor Chris Christie, is undoubtedly the worst. And to think he was a front runner for a Republican presidential candidate.

The conviction rate does not indicate diddly squat, except perhaps how corrupt the justice branch is - highly in Jersey.
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Wrong.

Christie is a choir boy compared to Corzine and McGreevey
 
I don't argue with you. I just tell you that they are wrong.

McSleezy, Corzine and Christie- Scum, Scummier, Scummiest.
 
Re: Public Corription. I'll disagree with you neroden!

All Public money comes from Taxes which are supposed to used for the "Public Good!" When Politicians steal it and provide " No Show" jobs like happens in most Corrupt Cities or States, this deprives those that need Government services the most! ( ie the poor and minorities!) But really everyone suffers from the Corruption!

A Thief, by any name, is a Thief and we all pay for it!!!

And "Clean" Gary was a cesspool of Corruption, run worse than Detroit! Take a look @ it today, its probably the single worst City in America to live in!
 
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neroden said:
On corruption:

Corruption isn't always bad. Chicago has thrived on corruption from very early -- when the city leaders bribed the railroads to put their terminals in Chicago rather than the natural location, Gary.

Clean, honest Gary has suffered ever since, while Chicago has thrived.
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Gary was founded in 1906, generations after Chicago became a railroad center. Given that it was a US Steel company town, clean and honest are not useful adjectives.
 
Does the CAHSRA still need a Memorandum of Understanding with BNSF and UPRR to start construction? What if they do not agree on an MOU?
 
Thomas said:
Does the CAHSRA still need a Memorandum of Understanding with BNSF and UPRR to start construction? What if they do not agree on an MOU?
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I don't think they need one. IIRC, It was X-Train that needed an MOU, mainly because they were going to operate over their tracks.
 
They'll be using BNSF and UP ROW in places; they've already got an MOU with UP as I recall.
 

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