Posted on 03/22/2010 7:46:50 AM PDT by SmithL
Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California six-plus years ago on his pledge to balance the deficit-ridden state budget, vowing to root out "waste, fraud and abuse" with a massive overhaul of state government that would "blow up the boxes."
It was a popular notion. But the budget remains chronically unbalanced, state government is not noticeably smaller or more efficient, and Schwarzenegger should know it's impossible for him or any other governor to clean up the mess through management alone.
Schools, colleges and local governments spend the vast majority of the state's general fund dollars. The state directly spends only about 15 percent, almost all either on prisons or bond service. Ultimately, once the Capitol exhausts its bag of fiscal gimmicks, balancing the budget will involve either cutting public services, raising taxes or some combination of the two.
None of the three candidates for governor acknowledges that reality. Doing so would involve political risk, so they either remain silent (Democrat Jerry Brown) or offer "solutions" that are merely rhetorical (Republicans Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner).
They would have us believe, à la Schwarzenegger, that they can close the deficit by applying tough-minded management. Whitman's newly published "policy agenda" highlights that intent, saying she'll reduce the state payroll by 40,000 bodies through attrition, even though a recent Census Bureau report reveals that we already have one of the nation's lowest per-capita ratios of public workers.
It wouldn't work, even if she could persuade a Democratic Legislature to go along. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Why don’t Californians use the Inititive process to deny any and ALL benefits to illegals?
We’re all in California now.
We already voted by initiative to eliminate most benefits for illegals, but the courts shot it down and the state did not appeal to the US Supreme Court.
The SacBee is correct. Tough management won’t solve CA’s problems. They need to cut whole programs and somehow stop the cost of educating illegals. Without that..the state will face higher taxes and a death spiral.
Prop 187. We passed it. Gov. Davis pulled support and from courts - we got rid of him. Got Arnold - nothing good happened since.
Swartz has made to many conflicting statements to be believed.
Especially being married to a Kennedy Klan member.
We did. Prop 185 did just exactly what you proposed and was overwhelmingly passed by the citizens of California. A leftist judge ruled it unconstitutional and our leftist attorney general refused to appeal the decision.
We did that, it passed by an overwhelming margin, and then a judge tossed it out. Same ol' same ol'.
187
Dan Walters.......offering no solutions to many problems for over 30 years.
Hey Dan, get a bulldozer.
bookmark
That is a sad state of affairs. Illegals arw only one step above slavery.
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