CA Budget Debacle

As work on the budget conference committee continues toward meeting the June 30th budget constitutional deadline, trends are starting to appear. This is not good news for Californians who believe government should be fiscally sound and responsible in its expenditures. The conference committee working on the budget has stark differences: The Republicans have voted in favor of about $4 billion in reductions vs. the Democrats’ $200 million. Additionally, Assembly and Senate Democrats have included funding pork projects, such as the Assembly Budget Chair Jenny Oropeza’s $927,000 for a “Fishing in the City” program.

Why is there such a large gap between these two figures? That is the fundamental question. Republicans believe spending should be relative to revenue and population growth. Democrats apparently believe the bureaucracy can grow as large as taxation will allow. Republicans believe the best government is that which is closest to the people; Democrats believe in a centralized bureaucracy that controls all aspects of our lives. The Republican philosophy promotes private enterprise and innovation, entrepreneurialism and encourages initiative. Democrats believe in a collective philosophy that stifles innovation and discourages free enterprise.

Clearly Democrats have failed to grasp the severity of the problem. They have added new spending to the budget, including many unnecessary and irrelevant pork projects. Democrats falsely believe that taxpayers will accept huge tax increases to pay for more spending proposals.

The excesses of state government today, combined with the flippant attitudes displayed by the leaders of the majority party, echo back to the 1970s when a tax revolution took root. Proposition 13 began because elected leaders could not curb their obsession to spend. In the weeks ahead we will see if history repeats itself.

There is an easy way to avoid receiving junk mail: Stop filling out product registration cards when you buy something.

When you write down your personal information on a product registration card, you are not only registering your product; the information you provide may be sold to marketers, who then fill up your mailbox with junk mail. The big secret is that you are NOT required by California law to fill out a product registration card when you purchase a product. In fact, under California law the product you purchase is still under warranty even if you don’t fill out the card.

“Over the last number of weeks, we have all become aware together of some things that are in very poor taste and bad judgment. I think this memo is a fine example of that.”

- Ken Glueck, Oracle’s vice president for government affairs, referring to a January e-mail from lobbyist Ravi Mehta suggesting the company give campaign donations to eight members, ranging in value from $1,000 to $10,000, as a way to solidify the questionable $95 million contract.

You are either tough on terrorism or not. There is no maybe, no middle-of-the-road, no halfway. Members of the Senate Higher Education Committee revealed their petty differences by declining to vote on AB 1756. My bill requires colleges and universities to report to federal immigration officials when a student or a student visa fails to enroll or commence participation in classes thirty days after the registration deadline for the current academic term. AB 1756 failed to pass out of committee on a 4-1 vote when nine members – eight of which are Democrats – were absent, abstained or refused to vote.

This lack of following one’s convictions is a common mechanism for killing bills. Remember that one of the terrorists responsible for killing thousands of Americans on 9-11 entered this country with a student visa, saying he would attend a school in California and never attended a day of class. His lessons were in mass destruction and anarchy; not chemistry or political science.

The rejection of AB 1756 is a shameful affront to law-abiding Californians who expect their elected leaders to put aside partisan politics for the greater good of the state. AB 1756 is about safety and common sense, which is why it passed the Assembly 64-2.

Some members of the Senate Education said the bill was unnecessary, I suspect that the families and friends of the 3000 people murdered on September 11th disagree.

Another one of my anti-terrorism bills, AB 2106, passed the Senate 38-0 and is awaiting the governor’s signature into law. AB 2106 adds "terrorism" to the list of crimes for which a criminal trial can take place in any county where one of the offenses occurred. For example, if the same defendant committed terrorist crimes in several counties, one county can prosecute that defendant for all terrorism crimes even though these crimes were committed in other jurisdictions. … AB 1982 passed the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, 5-1. This bill, which I authored, helps police officers and firefighters injured in the line of duty by ensuring they will receive advanced disability payments until a decision on their permanent disability claim is reached. Doing so will shield those who protect our public safety from the risk of losing their homes or declaring bankruptcy due to unreasonable delays in processing claims of a permanent injury.

I hope that everyone remembered that today is Flag Day and unfurled ol’ glory. In observance of Flag Day I proudly flew the Stars and Stripes accompanied by the Gadsden flag over my office. Commodore Esek Hopkins used this flag as Commander of the New Continental Fleet early in 1776. The Gadsden flag was named after Colonel Christopher Gadsden, who made a copy of Hopkins’ flag, which he then presented to Congress. For more of the history of the Gadsden flag follow this link: http://www.donttreadonme-911.com/history.html

Currently 45 out of 50 states are facing budget deficits. The National Governor’s Association estimates that the total deficit for these 45 states is $40 billion. The budget deficit for the state of California makes up over half of the nation’s total state deficits with $24 billion. In 2001 49.3% of California’s total tax revenue was collected from individual income tax returns. In 2001 California ranked eighth in the nation for per capita state tax collection.

The $23.6 billion deficit is about run-away spending, not fluctuations in the stock market. It is about government growing seven times the rate of population over the past three years. It is about the majority party lacking accountability and foresight, believing the flush times would flow forever. And most importantly, it’s about out of control politicians who are addicted to spending. Republicans have been criticized through this budget process as not having a plan of their own. However, when spending cuts proposed by Republicans and state Legislative Analysts, (to the tune of $7 billion dollars) are rejected in exchange for a mere $200 million in cuts and more pork spending, we’ve got a real dilemma.

Clearly Democrats have failed to grasp the severity of the problem. They have added new spending to the budget, including many unnecessary and irrelevant pork projects. Democrats falsely believe that taxpayers will accept huge tax increases to pay for more spending proposals.

The excesses of state government today, combined with the flippant attitudes displayed by the leaders of the majority party, echo back to the 1970s when a tax revolution took root. Proposition 13 began because elected leaders could not curb their obsession to spend. In the weeks ahead we will see if history repeats itself.
DUMP DAVI$ & the Den of Socialists

GO SIMON

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That might be a bit radical at this point. As long as the socialists control the state legislature, I wouldn't git yur hope up. California suffers due to political corruption, waste, fraud and an economic downturn to some degree. We can't afford the lofty ambitions of the socialist agenda.. now or ever.

GO SIMON

Yes, I looked through my paper copy of the OC Register and saw nothing about this.

Haven't got to the commentary section yet though!

Had to read the FRY Ad's first.

calgov2002:

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