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CA: Spending Havoc
CaliforniaRepublic.org ^ | 2/23/05 | Tom McClintock

Posted on 02/23/2005 9:39:18 AM PST by NormsRevenge

To know what California can be, it's important to remember what it once was.

A generation ago, California's highways were the envy of the world. We had one of the finest school systems in the country and one of the finest university systems in the world. Electricity was so cheap that there was serious discussion of abandoning electricity meters. The state water project promised abundant water supplies to complete the greening of California. Affordable housing abounded at all income levels. California was indeed the Golden State -- a land of opportunity and plenty far surpassing every other state in the nation. Today's liberals tell us that those were the days when Californians were willing to "invest" in their future -- unlike these miserly times when we've "starved" our schools, our infrastructure and our government.

But the reality is quite different. To provide that high level of public services 40 years ago, California state government spent $200 for every man, woman and child in the state -- or $1,240 in today's inflation-adjusted terms. Today, California government consumes $3,200 for every person in the state -- 2 times more in population-adjusted, inflation-adjusted terms.

Put another way, this year state government will spend $9.38 out of every $100 that you earn. That's the biggest chunk out of your earnings in California's history.

Californians pay the fourth-heaviest taxes per gallon of gasoline in the country -- and yet California ranks dead last in per-capita spending on its roads. Californians back every classroom with nearly $300,000, and yet only a fraction of the money reaches the actual classroom. Californians pay among the highest sales and income-tax rates in the country, and yet California's credit rating is the lowest in the nation.

Question: Is this the fault of taxpayers for not paying enough taxes, or is it the fault of near-criminal mismanagement of California's ample resources?

The Golden State that we remember from a generation ago -- that land of dreams, that place where families could make a fresh start, that state of great highway projects and great water projects and abundant housing and electricity and jobs -- is still right here. The only thing that has changed is public policy.

In 1974, a radical and retrograde ideology was introduced into California government during the administration of Gov. Jerry Brown. He called it his "era of limits," but really it amounted to the naive notion that infrastructure encouraged population growth. Brown canceled the state highway program, literally abandoning projects in mid-construction. He walked away from the state water project. He blocked the construction of new power plants and radically constricted the construction of new housing. Managerially, he unionized the teaching profession and centralized the public schools.

In the intervening decades, the California Legislature has maintained these policies, and the result has been devastating. Bureaucratic costs have soared, local governments have been usurped, and the quality of public services has plummeted. The task of this generation is to restore to our children the land of opportunity that our parents gave to us.

To do so, we must decentralize our service delivery systems -- starting by restoring control of our schools to parents and school boards and restoring their management to principals and teachers. Highway taxes must again be earmarked exclusively for our highways. We must roll back the excessive regulations that obstruct our commerce, our housing, our energy and our water supplies. We must dramatically downsize the state's bureaucracies by eliminating overlapping jurisdictions and by abolishing agencies that duplicate local or federal functions.

There is no reason why we can't have balanced budgets, lower taxes and a renewed commitment to public works -- because that's what we had just a generation ago. But doing so requires a dramatic change in the most liberal legislature in the United States and that, in turn, requires political action.

The census data tell us that for the first time in our history, California is watching a net out-migration of citizens. Many of them are finding a better life for their families in the middle of the Arizona and Nevada deserts than they could find in California. No act of God could wreak such devastation upon our state. Only acts of government could do that.

And that's the good news. Acts of government are within our power as citizens to change.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; havoc; mcclintock; spending

1 posted on 02/23/2005 9:39:23 AM PST by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

Excellent post. It's all too true.


2 posted on 02/23/2005 9:46:09 AM PST by labard1
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To: NormsRevenge

What an outstanding essay. I'm so glad that my wife and I had the opportunity to vote for this man before we escaped to New Hampshire.


3 posted on 02/23/2005 9:57:46 AM PST by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: NormsRevenge
--unfortunately, along with the "era of limits", came near unlimited growth of public payrolls, along with record pay, pension, and medical benefits for state and other government workers.

It would be interesting to know what over all this cost Commiefornia as compared to other factors in the states indebtedness.

4 posted on 02/23/2005 10:06:04 AM PST by rellimpank (urban dwellers don' t understand the cultural deprivation of not being raised on a farm)
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To: NormsRevenge

The politicians of all three states on the West Coast are killing any chance for anyone to earn a decent living and not be burdened by heavy taxes....Everything you said is the same for Washington State...but I fear the difference here it...they don't mind paying heavy taxes....This is one reason Eastern Washington wants to split from Western Washington along the Cascade Mountain range.....If Dino Rossi does not win this re-vote effort...good luck to anyone other than state
workers and union members in trying to make a living in Washington State.....home of the statue of Lenin in Fremont!


5 posted on 02/23/2005 10:29:06 AM PST by Route101
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To: NormsRevenge

Sadly, all too true.

Cheers!


6 posted on 02/23/2005 10:32:44 AM PST by SZonian (Tagline???? I don't need no stinkin' tagline!)
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To: rellimpank

Instead of lowering pay and benefits the state could reduce the client base. No school or services for illegals. Then there would be a significant decrease in public employees (correctional officers, case workers, teachers, etc) and reduced demand on hospital emergency rooms.


7 posted on 02/23/2005 10:33:15 AM PST by bigsigh
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To: mvpel

LOL


8 posted on 02/23/2005 10:33:20 AM PST by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/tsunami_tyranny.htm)
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: Curtis from Texas

The people, for the most part, haven't really changed that much, imo.

This state has always had wackos here, but the institutions that teach the kids and the unions that have hijacked the political process have changed, for the worse.

That the 'right thinking' party has also lost its rudder and direction hasn't helped either, as it flounders towards the middle in an attempt to pump up the tent, and loses touch with the core of those who helped make it relevant in the past.

They operate openly and in collusion with a leftist media mentality that really thinks they are creating and fostering a socialist GReeno nirvana, and could care less who they screw in getting it funded.


10 posted on 02/23/2005 11:30:07 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ...... The War on Terrorism is the ultimate 'faith-based' initiative.)
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To: NormsRevenge
There is no reason why we can't have balanced budgets, lower taxes and a renewed commitment to public works -- because that's what we had just a generation ago. But doing so requires a dramatic change in the most liberal legislature in the United States and that, in turn, requires political action.

That means us.

11 posted on 02/23/2005 12:47:23 PM PST by GVnana (If I had a Buckhead moment would I know it?)
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To: GVgirl

Being a former resident of California, the "us" in California is become in terms of the majority of voters either liberal whites who move to California because of "lifestyle" choices, or immigrants, many of whom are sympathetic towrds socialism. In fact, the immigrants getting the vote in the 90s is what finally flipped CA into a safe Democratic state.

I did what needed to be done and left the state.


12 posted on 02/23/2005 2:57:50 PM PST by RFT1
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To: NormsRevenge

Actually the peopel did chance. The over one million areospace and defense workers who voted Republican in LA county and the Bay Area left starting in the late 80s, replaced by liberal whites and socialist leaning immigrants.

While there are many pockets of conservatism left in CA, it is no longer possible to elect conservative politicians statewide.


13 posted on 02/23/2005 3:03:06 PM PST by RFT1
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To: NormsRevenge

Actually the peopel did chance. The over one million areospace and defense workers who voted Republican in LA county and the Bay Area left starting in the late 80s, replaced by liberal whites and socialist leaning immigrants.

While there are many pockets of conservatism left in CA, it is no longer possible to elect conservative politicians statewide.


14 posted on 02/23/2005 3:03:38 PM PST by RFT1
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To: RFT1

Being a 6th generation Californian I find your analysis of California demographics a bit oversimplified, but I'm glad that leaving the state worked for you.


15 posted on 02/23/2005 5:40:24 PM PST by GVnana (If I had a Buckhead moment would I know it?)
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To: NormsRevenge

most likely will dismantling the freeways this time around.


16 posted on 11/03/2010 10:29:06 AM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* 'I love you guys')
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