Enough. Being reasonable with our state legislators and governor
clearly doesn’t work. They have spent and spent and spent some
more, spending this state
– our Golden State – into such a quagmire that inciting chaos
is, sadly, the only answer.
Enough. Being reasonable with our state legislators and governor clearly doesn’t work. They have spent and spent and spent some more, spending this state – our Golden State – into such a quagmire that inciting chaos is, sadly, the only answer. There are currently one-third more state employees than in 1990. Under Gov. Schwarzenegger in just six years, per capita spending has increased 20 percent.
Unable to curb their wants, our leaders, after months of rancorous budget debate, opted for a Faustian bargain and decided to serve the voters special election Kool-Aid … if we just increase the taxes for two more years, steal money from this, take away money from that, freeze and/or kill the First Five and mental health programs (temporarily, of course) … well, then everything will be fine, and don’t worry we’ll fix it.
Voters, please don’t drink the Kool-Aid. Vote no on every proposition except 1F. That’s five resounding “No” votes and one “Yes” at the end.
More than 30 years ago in a famous scene from the film “Network”, broadcast TV journalist Howard Beale while on the air implored the public to “go to their windows right now and yell out ‘I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.’ ”
This election is the equivalent. We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.
Californians have to tell the 51 Democrats and 29 Republicans in the state Assembly that they have to cut the cost of government without new taxes and juryrigging funding schemes. Tell Anna Caballero, our 28th District Gilroy representative, that the time has come to live within the means provided. Cut your salary, cut your staff, do what it takes to balance the budget. Ditto to Sen. Elaine Alquist, our state Senate representative. Figure out how to streamline, cut and merge. Deal with the insatiable unions which filled your campaign troughs. And if you tell us you “have to” cut education and that our children will only be able to go to school four days per week, be prepared to suffer our collective wrath. We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.
Our recommendations are:
Proposition 1A: No
Extends a series of state tax increases from 2010-11 through 2012-13.
Proposition 1B: No
If the tax increases pass in 1A, 1B requires supplemental payments to local school districts and community colleges to make up for recent budget cuts. But what the legislature ought to do is fully fund education by cutting other areas of the bloated budget.
Proposition 1C: No
Targets the state lottery system and redirects $5 billion in future lottery profits – that now go to education – toward general fund spending. (Remember when passing the lottery was going to solve the education funding issue forever?)
Proposition 1D: No
Redirect more than $600 million earmarked for children’s health programs which are having marked positive impacts in South County into the general fund to offset budget shortfalls.
Proposition 1E: No
Authorizes shifting about $230 million annually earmarked by voters under Proposition 63 in 2004, known as the Mental Health Services Act, into the general fund. Another shifty proposition that freezes programs which are beginning to establish a positive track record.
Proposition 1F: Yes
Prevents legislators and other constitutional officers from receiving pay raises in years when the state runs deficits. Certainly this is a miniscule amount in the context of the state’s $103 billion annual budget, but the message is priceless.
