County government. Chief Investigative Reporter tone any kobaleski. Thank you fur joining us. For the next 30 minutes, we investigation holding the powerful accountable. We begin with your money, mispuz yoouzed by one of the areas biggest transzit agencies. It comes after years of claiming financial trouble. Hiking fairs and reducing service for riders. So the investigative junt finds hundreds of thousands of dollars in questionable transactions that insiders say paints a very different financial picture than what weve been told. They dont want you to ask yes, they just want you to do what they said. David ramirez worked in the finance department from 2001 to 2012. It operates the bhugt for cal tran and the transportation authority. In many case, my scenario, i know whats going on. It included preparing cal trans financial statements. He was repeatedly instructed to make changes to financial records he believes were illegal. He says those changes were tended to inflate the agencys exmentions so it could ask for me taxpayer money. We had to increase expenses where there was no true expenses. Ramirez said finance masters asked him to record madeup exens pences for services the agency never received. Thats hard to believe. Oh, it is. It happened. The trains, buses and shuttles provide more than 100,000 rides a day. There are people who two depend on public transportation, like myself. Every year, we have to scramble to come uh up with funds. In recent years, cal tran has raised fairs and sfroezen salaries. Ramirez said he was asked to move money around without transparen transparency. Why did you go along with it. Cal tran is in the red. Okay, were saving for also rain yi day. But its not raining. Ram rhett said he was also told to reverse journal entries. In these examples, consultants and management would come out of the proper account. But he was later told to reverse the payment that he said came from an insurance account. He said it was a way to hide how much money was really being paid to consultan consultants and coaches. We asked cal tran to review these questionable payments. They were called errors. Honest mistakes probably happen every year. Fits happening many times over many years and people who did these accounting entries say this was fraud, how do you respond to that. Whats happened over many years is weve gotten awards every year for our accounting practices. The ceo spoke to us, flanked by those awards. Why would you play consult t consultants out of an insurance fund. I dont believe we did that. You admitted it to here. If something was paid erroneously out of an account, thats not where you would pay them from. It happens in 2010, 20 ll, 2012 and 2013. I dont believe that. Those were mistakes. I dont believe that. You said it happened in all those years in your paper work. I dont believe the way youre portraying it. But here it is. 16,500. 60,000 and 292,000. Entries our sources told us were purposely paid out of the wrong account. When he says that he was asked to make up expenses, youre saying that didnt happen . I do not believe that. Youre saying he did that on his own . I do not believe that. I have no idea the foundation for eastwest highway hes making these false claims. You do this or you ear going to get fired. Ramirez isnt the only one speaking out. This Certified Public Accountant asked to be disguised. He was asked to reclass a crude extense that had no invoices or backup. He emailed managers warning this is against accounting principles. I said this is against accounting process. How come the auditors havent caught these mistakes. An audit buzz not provide answer lute aspurns that the information is correct. We shared asomugsomasomugha questionable accounting with an auditor who did audits for many agencies throughout the bay area. I think its bornt if there are errors found, the auditor surnd responsibility to look at that, especially in combination with allegations made. Auditors dont look at every transaction. Auditors look at a sampling. It was easy to miss these types of errors. There are errors like that. Our auditors looked at them and said theyre immaterial. He says the errors are small, but ramirez urges auditors to dig deeper saying this was just the fraction of industries designed to hide millions over the years. Its not very transparent. Theres one thing they seem to agree on. We need to do our best. We have an agency here that has values. Those values are confidence, integrity and good stewarts of the public money. Its in our culture. We do it the right thing. So heres the latest, auditors will now review the account in full detail. Those results are expected in december. And we will continue to investigate. Up next, it received your vote. And your money. When we investigate why you ear not getting wh you approved. 60yearold classrooms that arent getting rebuilt. Inside the ballot box on the money trail next. I love watching tv outside. And why can you move the tv out here . The wireless receiver. I got that when i switched to uverse. But why . Because its so much better than cable. Its got more hd channels, more dvr space. Yeah, but i mean, how did you know . I researched. No, ii told you. No. Yeah no. The important part is that youre happy now. And i got you this visor. You made a visor yes that ill never wear. Ohh. [ male announcer ] get uverse tv for just 19 a month for two years with qualifying bundles. Rethink possible. Back in 2010, voters said yes, providing more than 250348. But what they thought their ballot was buying isnt getting built. That big chunk of cash was supposed to replace these 60yearold rundown classrooms. Why is it not under construction . Our cameras and our questions aimed at the San Jose Evergreen Community College district. Youre looking at 1953. These buildings are old. They havent been maintained. What am i looking at here . Water damage. These pick sures and video really tell this story. Water damage, exposed wires chipping paint and drinking found tans. Shouldnt they be embarrassed by the condition of these facilities . Definitely. This is probably one of the bigger programs on the campus. And for it to be in the condition that its in, its ridiculous. Conditions known to district administrators for years. In fact, three years ago, they went to voters asking for 268 million to improve facilities including san jose ski college. What voters approved is a bond measure in 2010 is not going to be sbilt. We were told we would have a new building for our students. Not happening. Heres the language voters were shold at the ballot Box Including construct Vocational Technology building. Nowhere in the voter information did it say build a new theatre. It said very clearly and distinctly, build a new technology building. Trustees anded a min traitors approved these plans. Voters were sold a bait and switch . Shaur. All you have sood is look at the ballot measure. You know theyre not happy . Sure. That Council Member supported the bond and votapproved the improvements since the bond. Reporter the rundown six decade Old Buildings are not be demolished and rebuild. Instead, the district will spend 7 million to only refurbish and renovate. In contrast, the district will spend more than three times that total, more than 22 million on a brandnew building. The new theatre and media sarts center. They are saying that this bond was a bait and switch. That is not fair. That is not accurate. And i think that kind of language is destructive. The chancellor defended the decisions saying voters were not misled. I feel very confident that weve done nothing that is inconsistent squint with the language here. The language doesnt say a new theatre anywhere. No, the question is does it have to be verbatim here . Then youre wrong, sir. Frankly, im disappointed. Its fraudulent use of taxpayer much. Take a look at what the association said in its opposition to the bond measure back in 2012. The College District has no financial credibility. The districts history of changing priority after they get hur money has led to mismanaged of strogts. They repeatedly said theyre going to build thern things and then those things dont get built. That leads the vocational tech buildings now settling for a wren vags. How would you describe the condition of those facilities. Theyre not great facilities. They havent had maintenance in 20 years. The roof leaks, the pluming is very bad. And faculty and students question the integrity of trustees and administrators. I think the voters of san jose should be very concerned. Its their money. Its their money being misapproapriated and misused. Do you have youve been true to the voters . Yes, i do, absolutely. Ultimately you have two sides reading the same language in different ways. Bottom line, you dont always get what you think you ear voting for. Instructures will continue to fight for a change before the construction begins next year. Coming up, driving under the influence, but its not alcohol. Hes using something thats picking him up and bringing him down at the same time. How Law Enforcement is cracking down on this growing problem. You know a lot of people will tell you about the Dodge Durangos available hemi v8 engine and 360 horsepower, but im the only one with the guts to tell you about this glove box. 1 cubic feet of storage, 12 volt light bulb. Oh and beautiful injection, molded, thermal, plastic olefin. Comfortably fits two turkey sandwiches or 70 packs of gum. Say what . Look im not lying. Gum for days. Is this a gum ball machine . No its a Dodge Durango police say its a growing problem, drivers under the enfluns, but its not alcohol thats at issue. Its drugs impairing drivers. A new approach by Law Enforcement to catch drug drivers. Reporter its 10 00 on a wednesday night in redding, california. This driver is walking the line. Youre being placed under arrest for dui. But officers say its not control that put the nan handcuffs. I think hes using something thats bringing him up and bringing him down at the same time. This officer is a dui specialist with the redding preliminary. Last year, the office recognized him for making 225 dui arrests. But a third of those werent for alcohol but driving under the influence of drugs. Brug Impaired Driving is an issue we need to address. In the last ten year, drug related crashes jumped 40 . The drivers are not convicted of dui. Of. A lot of prosecutors are afraid of dui disease because they dont have knowledge about drug impairment. Theyre afraid to take those cases to trial because theyre difficult to prove to a jury. But its also a challenge for Police Officers to identify and catch drivers on drugs. Drug duis can have very real consequences. Nearly two years ago, kelly groves bebmw was hit by the cab of a track. The truck went over this bridge and burst into flames. Kellys car with her infant and 10yearold sage in the backseat was left teeter on the pledge of the bridge. A 100not a drop below. At that point, just screaming for someone, anyone to get us out of here. Get them out they did. The whole family survived. Then came the coroners report on that truck driver. Showing he had significant levels of meth amphetamines in his system. I knew accidents happened. And were so lucky to survive this accident. But when there was the drug issue that was brought up, it wasnt an a accident. It could have been prevented. Some local police go through the chps drug recognition expert training where theyre taught to recognize seven different dug categories that may impair a driver. Put your left foot on the line. Your right foot in front heel to toe. A. We watched over an hour as they performedest tos on this woman. Their conclusion she was impaired with meth and heroin. Our ability to recognize these individuals and take action is crucial. Right now, california does not even track drug dui numbers. Its piflt to put a number on the problem. If eni changes one person, thats worth it to me. Kelly groves thinks any tracking and training is critical. The one person who stops and thinks i shouldnt that i can this and driving is saving an infinite amount of people pits saving that family that would have been hit. California law will divide drug versus alcohol arrests. All the arrests you is a in stevens report have cases that are pending. Coming up next, we investigate takes you to hawaii. For your next vacation, what you need to know about a Record Number of drownings. Why some are concerned, why more needs to be done. Now a safety alert. More than 500 million bay area residents have flown to hawaii this year. A growing risk, a dangerous trend, drownings on the rise. Investigative reporter traveled to kawuai last spring. Now a call to action. So beautiful and inviting. People dont realize how dpruz it could be. The waves can be unforgiving. This San Francisco resident saw the firsthand. Yeah, that spot, once youre in the water, its a death trap. Reporter she and her friends were swept out to see. I knew i couldnt do anything. She spoke to the Investigative Unit right before we traveled to the island last spring to find out why one of the least inhabited islands are saying the most drownings per capita in hawaii. Five months into 2013, 11 people had already drowned. We went with caution to the very place that to bay area men died. It seemed deceptively spaced. My heart was really heavy and i was very sad. I can understand hay other drownings. More visitors per capita are drowning here than any other island. Followed by the big island of hawaii. An this is the president of the lifeguard association. Is it considered a crisis situation at this point . I think so. I think so. Im trying to say that very word to the county government. County Officials Say theyre open to solutions. In part, saying analysis need to be done before we all come to the table in order to have some max mull impact. You go down to a rock ledge and waiting for the winter swell to come in, the waves explode 100 feet into the air. May chur is beautiful. Its really, really incredible. You need to appreciate it but dont think you can beat it. Let it be. She would have married adam last month. Instead, shes looking at a future without him. He would tell 34e he loved me every day and how going to bed with me every night was one of his greatest moments. Because the majority of deaths happen in nonlife barded beaches, more lifeguards should be on duty. The county points to a budget short fall and says it cant meat that request. If you have a story for us, call our tip line or send an email to the unit at nbc bay area. Com. We have a standing invitation for you to join us regularly right here. The reason why . Because we investigate. Thanks for watching. A year and a half after giving birth to beautiful twins, nicole lost her husband jim to colon cancer. While the family and the entire community has been supportive during the difficult time, she still lacks the resources necessary for Home Improvement projects that will help them to grow. We are here to surprise them and let them know they are being rescued. [music] hi, im nicole amesti, were in my house in massapequa. Jim and i met nine years ago. Four months after we were dating, he was diagnosed with colon cancer
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