The State - News from March 12, 1987

Private quality assurance contractors hired by the state to inspect smog check stations received at least $122,000 in payments for inspections that were never performed or not properly documented, the state auditor general’s office said. In one case, Engineering Sciences Inc. claimed payments for inspecting more smog check stations in Fresno County than actually were licensed to operate there, the report to the Legislature said. The same contractor also claimed payments for the number of inspections it was supposed to perform but did not. The company has agreed to repay $12,000. Last week, a separate review committee composed of air quality management district officials from throughout the state proposed raising the current $50 repair-cost ceiling to as much as $500 and also charged that large numbers of mechanics were making incomplete or improper inspections.