Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has made a mess in Sacramento. Now he wants to ruin our local governments too.
“Our governor is currently contemplating declaring an “emergency” authorizing the state to borrow $2 billion in local property taxes by suspending Proposition 1A, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004 to protect local government revenue and local programs and services,” according to Placentia Councilman Scott Nelson, in an O.C. Register editorial.
But that’s not all! Nelson also warns us that “In addition to borrowing Prop. 1A funds, the state is also talking about an outright taking of more than $900 million in gasoline taxes from local governments. Californians twice since 2004 have voted overwhelmingly to require the state sales tax on gasoline go to road improvements. Gax-tax funds are the lifeline for local government struggling to maintain the vast local transportation system. For Placentia, gas taxes represent over $900,000 a year. Any permanent erosion of these funds will jeopardize our ability to maintain our streets and delay a number of critical public-works projects.”
I attended a California League of Cities meeting last night, in Costa Mesa. The main speaker, Mike Madrid, talked at length about the mess in Sacramento. Madrid offered four ways that we can take back our government:
Mike Madrid offered four ways to take back our state government
- We need to go back to a part-time State Legislature. As Madrid put it, we already have a part-time Legislature – but we are paying them full time and more. They have become an elite class and the entire system is designed to enrich them – not to serve the people of California.
- Madrid also said that we need to increase the number of Legislators – perhaps by a factor of three. Ours is a massive state and we still have the same number of legislators that we had thirty years ago. One State Senator covers an area that includes two congressional districts! This is one of the reasons these guys are not accountable to the people of our state.
- We need to toss legislative term limits. They don’t work and we end up with rookie ding dongs in Sacramento.
- We need to toss campaign finance limits and push for full, immediate disclosure online.
Madrid also spoke about how we cannot borrow our way out of this mess. Schwarzenegger and the Legislators need to cut waste, period.
And we need to look at returning control of property taxes to local government. Sacramento takes too much of it as it is. Our bloated state government is a cancer. We need to restore our local government, not gut it.
Lot’s of “we need”‘s here. I rank those right up there with “ought to”. How about focusing on what is really achievable? Madrid could start by laying out $24 billion in specific State budget cuts he would make if in charge. That would bring focus and make for some seriouis debate vs. idealistic what ought to be’s.
GOOD, they spend it all on Stupid Social Serivces anyway!! TAKE TAKE TAKE and make sure you take back the QEIA money STUPID STUPID STUPID:)
except leave some to look after poor elderly Americans!!
There is not any other way to get to the 24 billion dollar number other than to take the money from these areas. As you all may have seen prisoners are beginning to be released early, school funding will be cut further, with greater cuts in teachers afterschool progams, sport and class sizes will increase. Small courts are being closed, state parks etc. Without revenue increase otherwise known as taxes no programs can be left untouched, including service for the disabled and elderly. Thier co-pay will be going up more than the yearly increase and extra services will be cut.
We have gone from a budget of nearly 120 billion about three years ago to one of about half of that. Try that at home, it is not easy and everyone hates it.
Those who want to save thier program, do not have a clue where to find the money either, so that is why you do not hear a proposal other than do not cut my money off. Everyone will just have to share the pain.
Mr. Benson (No. 3) you state the grim situation quite well, I fear. And, I think a year from now we will be facing a need to cut more for the 10-11 fiscal year. We are in for a rough ride on most all economic fronts.