California Dreaming
As much as I like the Governator, I'm beginning to think his pragmatic nature has gotten him swallowed by the Legislatural Pod People. California has a "structural" budget problem of at least a decade. Our budgets have been based on wishful thinking and the provably false assumption that it will get better. Now they're looking to 'enhance' the lottery and borrow against its future earnings. This is to 'fund' education. Why do we keep increasing state expenses, particularly staffing, when we can see revenues are not stable?
I recently heard a survey cited on KCBS that people do not consider "fire fighters" or "teachers" a special interest group. While on some level, I agree public service functions are not a special interest, the unions for the employees are. I support smaller class sizes, but like the better charities, how much of the funding makes it in to the classroom or to the provision of facilities directly for education. Some sacred cows will need to be slaughtered, so - parents especially - bug your representatives to get the facts and look for better places to cut, but don't let the whining from the teachers union be the sole influence.
What sort of 'revolt' do we need now, in the vein of Proposition 13?
We have paid legislators who have abdicated their duties and punted the propositions to the voters to duck responsibility for the outcome. Will you please remember that for the next election?
I recently heard a survey cited on KCBS that people do not consider "fire fighters" or "teachers" a special interest group. While on some level, I agree public service functions are not a special interest, the unions for the employees are. I support smaller class sizes, but like the better charities, how much of the funding makes it in to the classroom or to the provision of facilities directly for education. Some sacred cows will need to be slaughtered, so - parents especially - bug your representatives to get the facts and look for better places to cut, but don't let the whining from the teachers union be the sole influence.
What sort of 'revolt' do we need now, in the vein of Proposition 13?
We have paid legislators who have abdicated their duties and punted the propositions to the voters to duck responsibility for the outcome. Will you please remember that for the next election?