Omaha, NE: Were some Nebraska state workers paid to play? A video that appeared on YouTube is creating a firestorm of reaction and suggests so.  An eleven page audit breaks down what the State Auditor calls "significant deficiencies" with taxpayer money.  Employees at the Nebraska Library Commission are accused of wasting it and then posting video and pictures of the whole thing on line.

Action 3 News set out to show the ten minute YouTube video to some Nebraska taxpayers in Omaha, the reaction has some scratching their heads.  Cameron Paladino stood with his father, Kevin, while he spoke about the hot topic.  Cameron breaks in asks, "What are they doing?" Kevin responds, "They are setting up this game, like a PlayStation game like Guitar Hero, while they're at work, and then they're playing it while they should be working.  We are pay for that through our taxes."   With a confused look on his face the 6 year old says, "Is that bad?" His father Kevin says, "That is bad."

Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley says a web surfing tax payer found the YouTube hit online and picked up the phone to report it. That's when his office dug deeper. After investigating the Library Commissions' funds, Foley says, "Sure enough it was state money that was used. It was state employees on state time during work hours playing with and setting up a play station video game system."

Strumming guitar strings on taxpayer's time isn't all Nebraska Library Commission workers are accused of doing. The audit claims the commission shelled out cash for virtual land in Second Life, an on-line gaming world. It also claims workers paid for food and mileage reimbursement at a workshop.  They did it all with state money.

The Director of Nebraska Library Commission, Rob Wagner, is standing by his employees. In a phone interview with Action 3 News, Wagner says the workers did nothing wrong. He says the library system is branching out into video games to bring more young people into the libraries.  Wagner says, "We were just responding to the request we'd gotten from librarians in Nebraska".

Wagner says the state shelled out a little over four hundred dollars for the gaming system. Coincidently the game is sitting in a closet, it is not even being used.

Mike Foley tells Action 3 News Governor Dave Heineman has appointed six board members to look over the audit. They will determine if there is any wrong doing.

Reported By: Liz Dorland; ldorland@action3news.com