In his first week in office, new California governor Jerry Brown has done what we knew he would do. He wants to extend the recent tax hikes in California another 5 years. He is looking for an additional 12 billion in revenue over the next five years. Yes, he is proposing many cuts in spending, but note who is exempt. Here is the LA Times report. keep in mind the Times is liberal and favors tax increases.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/01/jerry-brown-budget-cuts-deep-looks-to-extends-tax-hikes-reshapes-government.html
You should note that education in k-12 is protected due to the efforts of the California Teachers Union, which has Brown in their pocket. Also don't be fooled by the Times' description of 10% pay decreases for state worker not covered by collective bargaining contracts. Translation? Union workers are protected. Brown is, like the rest of the Democrats, in the pocket of the government worker unions. And why not? It was Brown, in his previous stint as governor, who allowed the unions to organize government workers.
To pull this off, Brown needs to convince two-thirds of the legislators in Sacramento to authorize a June special election to put it in front of the voters. He needs 5 Republicans to cross over.
So you're saying that major cuts should be made to K-12 education? Wow, great idea!
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Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI think I at the very least implied that this was because of the stranglehold that the teachers union has over Brown and Sacramento. Wait until the election comes, if it comes. You will see all these teacher groups telling us to save the children. It's their own pocketbooks they are thinking about.
Next time try to think up a more challenging question.
Gary, don't you think it's possible that they might actually care about the students? I don't want cuts because I've seen the results of the cuts we've had so far.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think that even if their motivations are bad, they're doing the right thing.
Didn't Arnold try this last year? And didn't it fail?
ReplyDeleteHow about these idiots cut their salaries to $1 until the state is solvent again?
Talk about cutting deficits is cheap Gary. There are only two ways to bring deficits down, let alone balance the budget. One is to raise taxes. The other is to cut spending.
ReplyDeleteWhat I want to hear from any aspiring political leader, and anyone who critiques either a tax increase or a spending cut from the woman or man in office, is details. What would you cut?
In the real world, people with real responsibility generally have to find ways to both raise revenue AND cut spending.
Siarlys,
ReplyDeleteRaising taxes might be a reasonable argument except we are the highest taxed people in the country. Those taxes have been used for wasteful spending. Now when they run out of money, they want to raise taxes again.
There is only one right solution-cut spending.
Well, we agree on which UC departments to cut. What else would you cut? Ideological preference doesn't cut it. Name the budget lines you are willing to do without.
ReplyDeleteHow about getting rid of sports teams. That could cut the cost of tuition by 1/2.
ReplyDeleteI wish you were right Findalis, but those sports teams are net revenue producers. That is why universities pay fabulous salaries to their coaches.
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