How California Can Save Itself Financially

Answer for Californians: Cut spending or raise taxes. There are no other options. You can not expect the rest of America to pay for California’s spending because it is taxation without representation. Since you refuse to raise taxes to pay for all of your over spending, the choice is clear. You have to bite the bullet and cut out of your budgets non-essentials, and possibly after that trim down essentials. And stop asking your State Senate representatives to fund your pet social program.

Aid programs for illegal immigrants is not essential.

Stop wasting money leasing office space that is not being used.

It looks like Arnold is finally forcing the California Government to cut back in areas where the Executive office has control. He has terminated redundant workers, shut down public works projects, and he is announcing more cuts this week.

The housing crunch is given as the major cause for their woes, and I think that they are partly correct in that (if you have ever considered buying a house in California, you would understand how nuts real estate prices are there) Californians have steadily made their cities very expensive to live in. Sure, they have funded projects to aid the poor, but that only goes so far.. There is little incentive for the middle class folks to stay there, and as a result many have moved to other states where the cost of living is not as high. With a continual bleeding loss of working middle-class, they can no longer afford the statis quo.

I would assume that since most estimates are normally off by about 40% the real cost to be saved would be around $14 billion, maybe more when you add in all the other social programs they give illegals, free school, college tuition, welfare, etc.

Michael Hiltzik, a “reporter” for the LA Times, wrote a truly extraordinary piece yesterday entitled “Schwarzenegger missed his golden opportunity to give Californians the truth.” Mr. Hiltziks sterling suggestions: remove the legislative requirement of a 2/3rds vote to pass a budget or raise taxes (funny he doesn’t say raise or lower, but just raise); remove legislative term limits, and revise Prop 13. At first glance, I thought this must be a satire…something from the Onion or a comparable site, lampooning the radical left for being, well, the radical left. But this guy is serious. And why shouldn’t he be! This is indeed the view shared by most of the left. The view that the democrat party should be permitted to rule, not govern; that its members are by birth, entitled to lifetime “appointments” to the hallowed halls of legislative power; that we the underclasses should butt out of the political process, it being far too complicated for our limited intellectual capacities. The arrogance, the conceit, the contempt, the utter disregard for the rights of citizens and taxpayers…this guy is a true poster boy for the decades of leftist fiscal folly which have finally caught up with the state. Given the extraordinary advantages with which California has been blessed, only the concerted efforts of the truly foolish and corrupt could have driven the state to bankruptcy. Mr. Hiltzik has decided that her problems are the result of too much personal and political freedom. No doubt he is greatly heartened by the antics of our acting president. So be of good cheer, Mr Hiltzik. The DC dictatorship will soon be coming to a town near you. And then all will be well.