As California continues to suffer through over twelve percent unemployment, new evidence has emerged that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s illegal furloughs are delaying the state’s ability to begin stimulus projects to get Californians back to work. “Laura Chick, state inspector general for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, said Monday that the California Office of Historic Preservation has a two-month backlog in approving federal stimulus projects, some as small as installing a heating and air conditioning unit,” the Bee reports.

Schwarzenegger has sat idly by as his irresponsible program has delayed or eliminated services to Californians suffering through the worst recession in generations. Will he take action and reverse course on this program that has failed to save California money, now that it is clearly impeding job creation, which he claims is his top priority?

Furloughs have been particularly harmful to the Sacramento region, where the bulk of state workers live. Ninety thousand of our region’s workers have seen their wages cut through furloughs, which has contributed to the housing crisis and local, job producing businesses.

It is time to end this failed program, which has failed to save the state the money Schwarzenegger promised. By every measure, it is bad public policy based on ideology, not evidence, The Governor should know better and California’s people deserve better.