DEAR EDITOR:
The U.S. Federal Government estimates fiscal 2002 expenditures
at $2,052 billion. With 105,480,101 households in the U.S., that’s
$19,454 per household.
DEAR EDITOR:
The U.S. Federal Government estimates fiscal 2002 expenditures at $2,052 billion. With 105,480,101 households in the U.S., that’s $19,454 per household. 2002 operating deficit (the debt increase) is $421 billion, current total federal debt is to $59,160.91 per household. California state 2002 spending is $100,032 million on 11,502,870 households; $8696.26 per household with ~$2,086 of that deficit spending. Santa Clara County spends $3,641,349,761 on 565,863 households at $6,435.04 per household; $4,356 of that is from local taxes, the rest is from state and federal grants. The City of Gilroy spends $117,879,914 on 17,000 households; $6,934.11 per household. GUSD budgeted $92,121,932 for 2002-2003, or $5,418.94 per household, with $1161.03 coming from local sources.
Total cost of government for an average Gilroy household is, roughly, $19,454 + $8,696.26 + $4,356 + $6,934.11 +$1161.03 = $40,601.40; 42% of the average $95,761.40 household income for Santa Clara County. The number is a little high because it does not include some budget contributions by higher levels of government, and is quite low because it does not include future interest costs for deficit spending by the federal and state governments.
I include the above information for the many liberals and bureaucrats out there who have no idea what the government costs, don’t think they pay anywhere near that much in taxes, and have expressed a growing irritation at the whining and complaining from the poor jerks who actually pay the bill.
With the Measure I bond, GUSD is requesting a tax increase of roughly $3,450,000 per year neglecting interest costs; a 3.7% increase over current operating expenses. All admit that maintenance and expansion expenditures are necessary. The dispute between Measure I supporters and opponents is over where the money will come from. Vocal Measure I supporters, mostly teachers, administrators, and GUSD boosters, want the money to come from a tax increase. Measure I opponents, common or garden variety right-wing, anti-government zealots like me, think that taxes are quite high enough and that there is plenty of slack in the GUSD budget to cover the additional 3.7%.
Voters of Gilroy, make no mistake. If taxes are not raised, some of that money is going to come out of GUSD payroll. This unmentioned fact has lent a tinge of desperation to the rhetoric of the pro I faction.
Current GUSD spending is $9,666 per student. This compares to a state average of about $7,500 and is, in the opinion of this zealot, quite comfortable. Average budgeted salary and benefits for a certified GUSD employee is about $75,985 with three months vacation per year on top of an outstanding retirement and health care benefits program.
There is a severe local recession. My company laid off one fifth of its employees and cut the pay of those remaining by 20 percent. More layoffs are likely in the coming months. Our situation is not unusual; many others are in worse shape.
Bureaucrats, life is not cozy in the private sector right now. You can stand to miss a couple of raises.
Stuart Allen, Gilroy
Submitted Sunday, Oct. 13 to ed****@ga****.com
