What today's propositions mean
Today is the day Californians get to vote on a package of budget measures that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other proponents tout as a means to restore sanity to the state's budget process.
The six propositions include 1A, which extends tax increases while also increasing the governor's ability to cut spending and setting new rules for California's "rainy day" fund. Another proposition, 1C, would allow Sacramento to borrow against future Lottery revenues. The propositions are said to be worth about $6 billion to the cash poor state.
In objective terms, California's budget has been a fiasco since I've covered the news, starting with work at the UCLA Daily Bruin in 2002. The story hasn't changed much in seven years, Californians are asked to pay their government more in taxes and fees while living under the specter of a collapse of government services, whether its policing, fire protection, infrastructure or education.
A lot of well-educated and well-meaning people have brought forward reasons to explain why this has happened. Some of those ideas readily come to mind: The state's budget has relied on volatile revenue sources like personal income and capital gains taxes; powerful public employee unions that have negotiated lucrative pay and benefits packages; gerrymandered legislative districts that have fostered political sclerosis in Sacramento and voters who have regularly pass bond measures that lock in future general fund revenues to debt service.
There are also at least two politically incorrect subjects that are at the core of Golden State politics: The costs of illegal immigration and the question of whether local governments can effectively finance themselves under the restrictions of Prop. 13.
All of these ideas are worth debating, but the years of debate have not yet produced an outcome. Polling indicates that the propositions are going to fail, and although it's not my place to say what the state should do, or how people should vote, I think I can try and interpret what Californians' choices are.
Choosing to support the propositions is like choosing to give a wayward friend a loan, while also trying to rein in that friend's irresponsible behavior. Maybe that friend will learn the right lesson and use the money to straighten out. Maybe not.
Voting against the propositions is an act of defiance. It's like punching that friend in the mouth in hopes that the blow will shock some sense into that person's brain. There's a good chance of negative short term consequences, but sometimes people just get tired of dealing with the same problems year after year and want to make a change.
There aren't a lot of good choices to go around.
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
As the State of California battles to balance it's budget, I feel there should first be a couple of deep investigations. The first one being the State Lotto System. Where is all the money? Where is all the interest on this money? The Lotto is a well seasoned program that has been ongoing for years. Show me (the public) the money. Where is it, how is it spent? Account for every penny. The salaries, the cost of doing business. Has there been layoff's if so at what level? What benefits are extended? Are there bonuses and if so, how much and for whom how often?
Second, we need a deep investigation of all the state money that goes to ALL public schools. Again show the public where these funds are and how they are spent. Account for every dime. This includes all levels of staffing and their salaries. It also should include how the lotto money is funneled into the school systems. Again, show me the money. Account for the direct classroom expenditures as well as the administrative costs, all levels of salaries to include hourly pay and total numbers of employees. Show the "golden parachutes" that are offered to the select employees. Again show the public what public education is costing the state tax-payer...account for every penny. Show me the money!
Once we the public fully know and understand these two very questionable enterprises then we can just begin to assess the validity of a balanced budget. I feel there would be a lot of surprises and scrambling to try and justify the pork that would be uncovered that has been living very quietly behind the scenes.
Lastly, the cost of dealing with illegal aliens...excuse me, undocumented residents. This includes policing our Southern International Border. That is the responsibility of the Federal Government and if the State is doing their work, we MUST be reimbursed for these costs. Our esteemed elected in Washington (Feinstein, Boxer and Pelosi) are not doing their job if they allow this to happen. They should be replaced ASAP.
If the current and/or next Governor wanted to balance this states budget, he/she needs to totally divulge where the existing money is going before they ask or demand more. Make it public...show is the money trail and let us follow it and decide if we want or need more taxation.