EDUCATION
In California, education receives 40% of the total annual state budget. It is said to be the largest percentage in the nation. Yet our education system is ranked next to last among the states. Obviously, spending more money has not been the answer. Suggestions include:
1. Mandate that all public school districts reduce administrative expenses by a full 50% percent beginning July 1st.
2. Withdraw all unfunded mandates imposed by the legislature on school districts over the past 15 years. Going forward, only allow mandates that the legislature funds in advance.
3. Remove any and all state imposed class size restrictions.
4. Limit tort litigation against public schools to only those instances that involve successful criminal prosecution. Ban frivolous lawsuits.
5. Wherever possible, force school districts to consolidate transportation and maintenance related services so as to reduce unnecessary duplication
STATE GOVERNMENT
Public spending in this arena is unconscionable, wasteful, fraudulent and unethical. The career pigs feeding at the public trough have got to become leaner and far more efficient. Now is the time to:
1. Eliminate perks provided to ALL political office holders. No more cars provided by the state and no more gasoline bills paid by the taxpayers. No more than one, very small and inexpensive, office within their home districts. No per diem expense money. No more paid travel out of state. No paid meals. Professional politicians can pick up their own expenses just like the rest of us.
2. A hiring freeze across all departments of state government except for emergency services. Existing personnel required to pick up the slack when an employee leaves government. In instances where the work load becomes unsustainable, utilize part time employees at a reasonable hourly rate who do not qualify for benefits.
3. Mandate that the publicly paid staff expenses of all elected politicians be reduced by 50% beginning as of July 1st.
4. Permanently freeze the pay of all elected politicians to the current 2009 levels.
5. Across the board, increase deductibles for anyone and everyone receiving or qualified to receive care benefits paid by the state. This to include retirees.
6. Going forward, all contracts negotiated by the state with the public employee unions must be approved by voters before taking effect.
7. Determine a set percentage expense reduction, to be applied across the board to all state departments, that will serve to reduce expenses to the level of funding receipts so that the budget is balanced.
8. Permanently eliminate the practice of spending taxpayer money on welfare and health care expenses for non-citizens. Proof of citizenship must become a prerequisite for qualification to receive publicly financed assistance.
By the way, it would not hurt to solicit expense reduction ideas from taxpayers during the search to find ways to regain fiscal sanity.
The time to restore the common good over political payback as the guiding principle in developing a balanced budget is long overdue. Common sense must replace failed far left Utopian ideology or the State of California has no long term future.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/california-cuts-what-pols-cant-grasp.html
Unfortunately it'll never happen...makes too much sense.