Schwarzenegger uses star power, warnings to back bond deal

AP via San Francisco Chronicle ^ | January 27, 2004 | TOM CHORNEAU

[calcowgirl]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man who popularized bodybuilding in the United States, is now confronting something heavier than anything he faced in Gold's Gym -- the task of selling Californians on passing the largest state bond deal in U.S. history.

[farmfriend]

Short list.

[B4Ranch]

Pass the bill onto the kids. Graet idea, Arnie!

[NormsRevenge]

Sometimes, failure to achieve a goal is the best lesson.

[DoughtyOne]

In a perfect world, I'd like to see Schwarzenegger cut the budget between 35 and 45%. The Los Angeles Times, the Herald Examiner would back this plan to bring us back to fiscal solvency. The Democrats seeing that their tax and spend policies had brought this state to the brink of default, would sign on and support this effort.

Those of you who think this is workable, listen up. The first programs to get cut would be police, fire, libraries, education and a long list of programs that just about all citizens support. I don't like it, but that is reality.

Schwarzenegger is trying to avoid raising taxes. Yes these bonds will have to be paid off over time, but Schwarzenegger is not raising taxes to do it. It is hoped that a rising economy will facilitate retiring the debt over the next five years. There are some cuts in there, but by no means what you folks and I want.

This is the sad reality we are stuck with. Just about anything else and the media would trash Schwarzenegger mercilessly.

[tubebender]

What was the outcome of Arnolds audit of Calif books? Why can't he just cut all Dept's across the board instead of cherrry picking the list...

[NormsRevenge]

So , how do we get the entrenched ones (demRats) to recognize their need to act responsibly and suspend their flirting with disaster and work to save the state, rather than sink it in a mire of manure-ic policies and legislation.

If we pass the bonds, they and their excessive regulations survive and their programs for the illegals are kept solvent.

What is essential? And what is truly disastrous? This is not a Catch-22 dilemma, it is truly a state breaker.

Mandate suspensions, close the schools for 6 months or a full year, sell off state lands and properties, privatize state functions, etc. for starters.

Until we can get thru and past November and toss the UTopiates out of office, we can only yearn for perfection, but we can not settle for status quo or treading water with sharks feeding on our pocketbooks in even a more frenzied manner, than now, tax-wise.

[TheDon]

Just about anything else and the media would trash Schwarzenegger mercilessly.

That's what Arnold signed up for. He's a big boy, he can take it.

[TheDon]

Ain't gonna vote for it, wouldn't be prudent.

[DoughtyOne]

What I would have done would be an audit to show what was increased over the last five years. Then I'd strip those programs of all but about 1.5-2.5% growth for each year. Over and above the increase in population, I'd can all new government hires. If the population went up 5% over the last five years, I'd can any increases that saw new employees excede that rate.

I still hold out hope that an audit is being conducted and will cause budgetary corrections in upcoming months.

As for new programs, I'd eliminate them. Any new program that was launched over the last five years would be eliminated. I'd also order a complete review of our education system as it relates to national averages. I'd take the education industry to task, specificly the overhead. Then I'd constact Senior Bush and inform him that the state of California wasn't going to foot half the national bill for educating the children of all immigrants to this nation any longer.

This is pretty simplistic, but this is where my thoughts run on first blush.

[NormsRevenge]

I hear and agree with what you have offered about the last 5 years.

Re: The "audit" -

I still hold out hope that an audit is being conducted and will cause budgetary corrections in upcoming months.

Not a lot of info has been forthcoming. How bad is it looking? Donna Arduin should have a pretty good idea by now, one would think.. She has been onboard for over 2 months.

[calcowgirl]

What was the outcome of Arnolds audit of Calif books?

According to the LA Times yesterday:

Democrats have leveled criticism, not just at specific cuts, but also at Schwarzenegger's pledges to evaluate the budget. Echoing one of the governor's campaign pledges, Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) recently asked: "Where is the waste, fraud and abuse he talked about?"

That waste was supposed to be uncovered by an audit that Schwarzenegger repeatedly discussed on the campaign trail. On Aug. 20, he announced that he would conduct "a 60-day audit," performed by an independent accounting firm. The results would be published so that "all the people can see."

The Schwarzenegger administration has yet to produce such a document. During the transition, he hired Donna Arduin, a state official from Florida, to conduct an audit. But there has been no comprehensive publication of her findings, and Arduin — who now serves as state finance director — has referred to the audit as being conducted in ongoing phases.

[DoughtyOne]

I vote no on all bonds. This one I'd vote for.

If we don't pass this bond, our bond rating will dip even futher. That alone will cost the state hundreds of millions of not billions.

This state is in perile of defaulting. It just about happened last summer. I know some of you think that might not be such a bad idea. I think you guys would rue the day that happened if it ever did.

Schwarzenegger didn't create this problem. He is trying to find a rather painless way of getting us through. Like I've said, I don't necessarily like his approach, but I'm not sure there is a better workable way.

You guys may not be aware of it, but we already have the Los Angeles County Sheriff saying that Schwarzenegger is forcing him to lay off officers. I believe the LAPD is also stating that they are overstaffed for their budget.

If you think Schwarzenegger cutting the budget the amount we'd like to see would fly, you haven't contemplated the full court press the teacher's association and liberal leaders around the state would lauch against him. Then if a stalemate were to occur, in two years the Democrats will run on the idea that they need a Democrat governor they can work with.

You know what, the idiots in this state would probably agree reather then dump them out on their arses.

I sympathize with you guys, but I'm not convinced you're considering all the ramifications.

[Bonaparte]

"Pass the bill onto the kids. Graet idea, Arnie!"

He campaigned as a successful businessman who understands that you don't get out of debt by incurring more debt. It's just a couple months later and I don't even recognize him.

[DoughtyOne]

Aren't the Democrats a bunch of gems? The man was sworn in on December 17th, about as long as they could stall the process without being in danger of being recalled themselves. Now they complain because he hasn't produced what he said he would in two months, after only six weeks.

While I do think it is reasonable to think some issues might surface early, I also think it's reasonable to allow Schwarzenegger's auditor to release a comprehensive report rather than trickle things out peacemeal.

If Schwarzenegger is to be ultimately successful, I believe his auditor will have to incorporate some of the ideas I mentioned earlier in order to get this budget back on track. For all our sakes, I hope that's how it turns out.

Schwarzenegger has a bully pulpit, and if he wants to be successful, he's going to have to use it to it's maximum potential explaining why we need to cut the growth that was not sustainable.

[DoughtyOne]

She has been on board for over two months, but I doubt she gain much meaningful access to the books until after Schwarzenegger was sworn in.

[NormsRevenge]

Maybe all that stuff Davi$ shredded his last days in office was ... naaaaah .. You don't think?

Besides, there is supposed to be a crack team (total of 259 or such) of auditors&etc onboard working full-time for the state anyway.

Look up lowest form of life in the dictionary .. you get my drift.. Goldberg, Burton, etc ;-]

[DoughtyOne]

You know Norm, I'd love to see a proposition that demanded every state legislator and senator be furloughed in 2006. We would hold elections and start all over. We would pay $10,000 a year for citizen legislators and only allow the capital to be open for a couple of months. I'd also like to see some sunset bills placed before the voters so that the voters themselves could make the tough choices state leaders seem to be incapable of.

[Bonaparte]

Was it Heinlein who wrote a sci-fi novel about a planet where legislators were only paid for repealing laws?

[NormsRevenge]

MOst folks will say that radical reform is not necessary.

Yeah,Right!

I am tuning out for now, but will be bach later. Nite!