Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent quote told our state’s sad
story:
”
Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried
up.
”
That’s all true. The state is quickly running out of cash and
needs to quickly resolve budgetary issues to close an astounding
$24 billion budget deficit that grows daily.
1. Closing the state’s parks is a ridiculously short-sighted proposal
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent quote told our state’s sad story: “Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried up.”
That’s all true. The state is quickly running out of cash and needs to quickly resolve budgetary issues to close an astounding $24 billion budget deficit that grows daily.
But two of the governor’s proposals, in particular, seem to be aimed at punishing residents who rejected the recent propositions he so carefully fashioned behind closed doors as the budget solution.
Closing the state’s parks and raiding local funds from the gas tax used for road repairs exemplify the governor’s ego-driven “I told you there would be hell to pay” budget solution.
Shuttering the state’s parks, the governor says, would save $70 million. Really? What analysis has been done to factor in the economic upside of our state parks? How many visitors wouldn’t be spending money on their journeys to parks at local stores – think sales tax – not to mention buying gas to help fill the tax coffers.
2. Raiding gas tax dollars from local governments another bad idea
Add in the cost of damage while the parks are shuttered, consider the reality that state parks are a less expensive vacation for many families during these tough times and the absurdity of such a proposal tells the tale: This governor isn’t about real leadership, he’s about showmanship.
A proposal that would slightly raise the fees for park entrance or overnight camping for a two-year period could be viewed as responsible and necessary. A proposal to shut the whole system down is reactionary grandstanding. It’s the old political game based on scare tactics – i.e. “We’re going to have to close the Washington Monument unless …”
Then, there’s the governor’s notion that raiding local government’s share of gas taxes which are used for road repair and maintenance is a good idea. It’s not. Residents expect that money to be used to repair roads. California isn’t keeping up under the current circumstances and the axiom “the further away the money gets in government, the less accountable it is” holds true. What Gilroy and the county of Santa Clara do with gas tax money is far more efficient than whatever Sacramento plans to do.
3. Former congressman Tom Campbell has a responsible budget plan
The governor should discontinue his quest for retribution against the voters. Californians await a reasoned leadership approach similar to former California congressman and state finance director Tom Campbell, who is a Republican candidate for governor.
Campbell proposes to:
“1. Cut spending back to where it would have been if we had increased it only by inflation and population growth since 2000. That requires hard cuts – $15.4 billion – in welfare and Medi-Cal.
2. Don’t fire any more teachers. The damage to our schoolchildren from a year of poorer classroom teaching can last a lifetime. And at community colleges, we need more, not fewer, teachers to help retrain Californians who are trying to get re-hired. Similarly, don’t cut back Cal Grants for low-income college students.
3. Get some revenue ($5.8 billion) from a one-year increase in the gas tax.”
He’s also against taking money promised to local governments and thinks selling state assets at rock bottom prices is an extremely bad idea.
The proposals at campbell.org represent far more common sense than any our governor has proposed. Unfortunately, what Californians are getting right now is showmanship, not substance.
