I hope no one here works for the state!

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by Havasu

Just quit wasting money is all that is needed and wiser spending.Thats how I live my life when I have less I spend less. If you want higher taxes you can send the extra Taxes that YOU think is needed. I do not want any more taxes and I want less services and less regulations less is better

I think wasting money is a terrible thing, but are there really any other places for CA to look to in order to find some example to follow here in the US? I bet if you asked someone in any state in this country, they would all say the same thing, "the government wastes money!" The funny thing is, I think the US as a whole has the lowest income taxes of any developed country in the world and we still complain about taxes. In Canada and Europe, the government takes upwards of 50% of your income. But the grass is always greener, right?

[chuck22b]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

I think wasting money is a terrible thing, but are there really any other places for CA to look to in order to find some example to follow here in the US? I bet if you asked someone in any state in this country, they would all say the same thing, "the government wastes money!" The funny thing is, I think the US as a whole has the lowest income taxes of any developed country in the world and we still complain about taxes. In Canada and Europe, the government takes upwards of 50% of your income. But the grass is always greener, right?

As Americans, we like complaining... it's our national birth right! ... and we hate the government... unless we get saved by our firefighters, police, drive on good roads, get mail delivered, have national parks, have a say against mal practices (court system). etc. Otherwise, yes, government sucks and they're stealing MY money!

But, seriously, besides the complaining we need to find a solution. There will always be some form of waste in any organization. In theory, if the government cut out a lot of the benefits, etc. from the State employees (like companies are doing) then they would save a lot!. But, what would that end up doing? Some of the same people would end up being on State/Federally ran Medicare/Medicaid systems.

The government can cut funding for supervelous programs... but what would those be? At some point or another those programs were put in place by us, the voters and it's not like anybody is saying State workers make too much money. Are they?

So, either we "Vote" to cut certain programs (maybe instead of new programs on the ballot, we have programs to be "cut" on the ballot)... or we pay more or get alternate sources of revenue. Charge more to go to State Parks? Charge for book rentals at public libraries... increase more charges for going on freeways? Charge more fees for permits, dmv renewals, etc.?

-chuck22b

[Fighter 1]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I don't see how that's legal. Aren't all state workers under some sort of union contract? I can't just decide to pay $1.50 for gas, take all I want, and promise to pay the difference some day. If the state breaks the contract by failing to pay the agreed-upon labor rate, the workers really aren't obligated to show up.

JUST sit back and watch the law suit's

[impala666]

Who feels the pain from higher taxes?
The middle and upper middle classes the rich as usual sidestep.
California should encourage tax free investment from abroad, bring some of those billions of dollars floating around the world into investment projects in California.
England has quite strict tax laws for UK residents but some of the softest for non-domiciled residents.
Why do you think that the wife of the mayor of Moscow has just purchased a house in London for £100,000,000 and how much tax do you think that the 50 or so Russian billionaires who live in London pay(not much).
But the massive influx of money has a net positive effect on the economy, why did the upper end house prices go through the roof in the last 6 years?

Back to California turn it into a Tax Haven and the normal residents will eventually benefit. There is already plenty of immigrants so just attract the rich ones.

[Ultrarunner]

If the money isn't there, the State cannot employ workers without the funds to meet it's payroll...

Cutbacks happen all the time in private industry. Just ask anyone in the airline, banking/mortgage or manufacturing.

[eureka1]

I DO work for the State, thank you, and he's getting away with it by "deferring" our compensation, without interest, until somebody else comes up with a budget deal, since Ahnold doesn't care to get involved in the details of governing. He has NO relationships with the people who matter in the Legislature,but has been trying to govern by sound bites and photo ops. Unlike the governor, I will be at work morning, DOING MY JOB.

[steelstress]

I find it odd that people are b*tching about what Arnold has done, but aren't about what the legislature HASN'T done. Arnold's stuck between a rock and a hard place. He doesn't make the budget, only signs off on it, and he can't sign off on it if he doesn't get it from the legislature. And it's his responsibility to do what he has to to keep the state afloat until then.

But no one's pressuring the legislature. Go figure.

[mdvaden]

It can work in reverse too.

For 6 years, I was a board member on Oregon's State landscape license board. It was time for us to give a wage increase to our administrator and staff, who were working for a fairly small salary, having helped us separate from the construction board.

Our budget and bank account had more than sufficient funds, and all 7 board members unanimously wanted to give the raise.

But Oregon had a law in effect that prevented us from raising the salary.

On another note, being in business now for myself, and having worked for both the City of Portland and Oregon State years ago, I don't have a lot of confidence in a system where people go to work for the government for the long-term.

Way too many people who lack good motivation have gone to "serve their time" for benefits and a retirement package.

Surprisingly, I've met some tremendously productive state employees.

But there is a risk when you go to work for a government, rather than the business realm that is totally responsible for it's own survival.

[jimeez]

Originally Posted by steelstress

I find it odd that people are b*tching about what Arnold has done, but aren't about what the legislature HASN'T done. Arnold's stuck between a rock and a hard place. He doesn't make the budget, only signs off on it, and he can't sign off on it if he doesn't get it from the legislature. And it's his responsibility to do what he has to to keep the state afloat until then.

But no one's pressuring the legislature. Go figure.

That is the truth.
The Gov just signs the budget. It is up the the Legislature to get the numbers sorted. There is just to much partisan politics going on. People need to get on the Legislature to get this done. If they don't then find some that will come election time. When that time comes remember what happened this budget and most of the ones in the past and cast a vote in your best interest.