CA: A big problem needs strong medicine

OC Register ^ | 12/5/03 | Tom McClintock

[NormsRevenge]

Have you ever had to make serious cuts - 15 percent or more - in your family budget because of an unexpected job loss or unforeseen expense? It's not pleasant, but it's not impossible. And it's also not permanent. As long as you're willing to face your financial problems squarely, you can be sure the hard times won't last forever and things will improve.

[NormsRevenge]

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[Rabid Dog]

Thanks for posting this. I would much rather try Tom's suggestion and listening to the squawking for 18 months than burden our kids with even more debt.

[FairOpinion]

Exactly same article already posted here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1031583/posts

[Rabid Dog]

That thread got way off track. Maybe this thread can stay on point a little bit more.

[FairOpinion]

"That thread got way off track. Maybe this thread can stay on point a little bit more. "

===

We'll add that to the list of excuses for posting duplicate threads.

[NormsRevenge]

FYI - I do searches on titles as they appear. Here is another classic case of the same article titled differently based on its source. Quite frankly, I did not see the other WSJ thread , but I will definitely check it out.

Thanks.

[NormsRevenge]

I just reviewed that thread and it sure did seem to become more of a bashing thread as usual, by those who believe Arnie has the only answers to what ails the patient.

I was gonna have this thread deleted or maybe just locked but being as one of the prime bashers, imo, already appeared here, I say let it ride. ;-)

[Rabid Dog]

Where would you start?

My favorite place is the Department of Education.

I'd look at the Department of Education - and eliminate as much of it as I could. I'd implement school vouchers for one thing.

Here's something really heretical - I'd propose that schools start selling off excess property and rethink their bloated athletic programs.

I'd also take a good hard look at Public Health and Corrections. The Healthy Families Program is one example of a program that is overbudget and underutilized.

I'd also take a good hard look at the pension system of state employees and health care benefits. I know at the local County level - our county employees get up to nine weeks of paid vacation each year.

[Rabid Dog]

Here's more food for thought from McClintock's Website - which reminds me - what happened to the audit and accompanying report?.

....the discomfort of frugality could be eased dramatically if accompanied by a comprehensive review of every state agency and program now on the books. California State government spends roughly twice per person what Arizona spends, and yet Arizona delivers a vastly higher level of service in every category including academic performance, electricity generation, water delivery, and highway and housing construction.

The difficulty in conducting such a review – and acting upon it – is that every program has a highly motivated constituency that jealously and expertly guards its budget. Faced with the long overdue need to close obsolete military bases, the federal government confronted the same paralysis caused by interest group pressure. Ultimately, Congress broke the gridlock when it took the task of reviewing bases out of the political arena and gave it to an independent panel of management experts that returned a comprehensive recommendation for a single up-or-down vote.

This mechanism prevented the political logrolling, mutual back-scratching and parochial grandstanding that had long blocked the consolidation and closure of obsolete bases. The same thing desperately needs to be done with California’s bureaucracies.

[kellynla]

Tom's got the right idea. First thing to learn when you're in a hole...quit digging! LOL Now let's see if Arnold's got the stones to balance the budget without raising taxes, fees or bonds. Have a great weekend, guys! Semper Fi

[heleny]

If the current rate of state spending were reduced 13.4 percent on Jan. 1 and frozen through Gov. Schwarzenegger's first yearly budget, the state would be back in the black, free and clear of external debt, and able to start the governor's second full year in 2005 with a clean slate.

That sounds good. The short-term pain of cutting many programs is better than taking out loans that we'll have to repay for the next generation (while addicting ourselves to overspending).

But, next year is an election year, and I'm sure many Assemblymen would prefer to delay until next year what needs to be done now.

[Princeliberty]

We already getting the answer Arnold just signed on
that 10.7 borrowing of Davis which is probably illegal
and in any case is a terrible idea.