Wilson Urges Inquiry Into Failed $44-Million DMV Computer System
Gov. Pete Wilson joined the Legislature on Friday in asking the state auditor to investigate the Department of Motor Vehicles’ expenditure of $44 million on a computer system that never worked.
In seeking the investigation, Wilson sought to distance his Administration of the DMV from that of his predecessor, Gov. George Deukmejian. Wilson took office in 1991.
Wilson contended that $33 million of the amount spent on the project occurred before his Administration.
Last month, DMV officials acknowledged to the Legislature that $44 million had been spent on a major database revision during the past seven years, but that the project had no hope of working.
Frank Zolin, who succeeded A. Del Pierce as department director in 1991, said he ordered the project abandoned several months ago rather than pour more money into it.
Pierce, now director of the California Lottery, said in an interview that the computer project was “progressing satisfactorily” when Zolin succeeded him in 1991.
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