Given that we are over taxed to begin with, why is increasing the taxes the only solution? Why can’t they cut spending? Could it be that it is too easy to pass bonds and increase expenditures, without needing to worry about how to pay? Bond initiatives are great big credit cards… Change them to two thirds, cancel many of the existing ones, and then see if you can balance the budget.

The Republicans in Sacramento have been DEAD SET against raising taxes, but they are just pandering to the uneducated types who apparently don’t care if our institutes of high learning get another dime. The Republicans HOLD FAST on taxes so they can get re-elected meanwhile knowing that taxes is the only method left to raise available funds. There is rarely a peep from them on ideas for cutting waste — which is what Republicans used to talk about.

Please start coming up with some better ideas on how to solve this Golden Bear of a problem other then some vague balance of power proposal.

Phillip B

Your material by far is always the best in the Mercury News, and I always exclaim, “Why doesn’t he run for governor.” Yours are always the best ideas, and Jerry Brown’s already been governor.

A big fan in San Jose,

Karita H

I went to http://www.repaircalifornia.org, to see if I could help somehow. They said the most important thing they need is to collect signatures to put the issue on the ballot, but there was no way to sign up to do that. I could give a tiny gift, but I was hoping to help with the signatures. Does the idea have to go through some other hurdle before it’s OK to get sigs?

I live in Palo Alto, and I’m 74 years old, so I’m not up for a lot of trips in the City, but I do want to help.

Thanks.

Ken S

Before the state gives any program money, it should put “strings” on how that agency may spends its money. I know this is against your “local” control; but I don’t see any financial discipline in any of these local agencies. E.g., in my city of Hayward the number of city employees who have salaries above $100,000 is astounding. I have seen data for San Francisco and other more prosperous cities and counties, and it’s even worse. They keep on whining that they have “cut to the bone.”

In education only about 60% of its budget goes to the classroom (per data on the CDE web site). Over $4 billion is spent on the archaic 58 county offices of education. The Little Hoover Commission and other bodies have recommended their abolishment.
There is a national group calling for at least 65%. of a school budget should go the classroom. Some years ago the education establishment persuaded the voters to reject the 95/5 initiative which would have mandated that school districts could not spend
more than 5% of its budget on administration. It’s interesting that state-wide associations of school administrators and school, boards used lobbyists to defeat the initiative. The salaries of these lobbyists are paid for from public funds– via the dues to the associations that come from tax money. Hello, isn’t that illegal?

Local city councils, boards of supervisors, governing bodies of higher ed and boards of education do not have the will or expertise to make cuts where it counts. The UC board of regents didn’t even know that some of its administrators were getting such high salaries and perks until they read it in the newspapers!!.The power to grant huge salaries and other benefits should be restricted by law. This
would necessitate some changes in the law. A performance audit should be made of each and every program receiving state/federal monies. Until that can be done, I like Willie Brown’s suggestion: keep the present year budget–imperfect as it is– and pass that as the new 2010-11 budget. Then, during the fiscal year, after income
is known, each program can come forth and plead its case for additional money.That would avoid the annual June/July “budget dance of death.”
As for the state legislature, it has not made enough cuts. And many that they have made are declared illegal or the cuts are never actually made; e.g., the parks. (Cry wolf!!) Though I’m a Democrat, I’m happy that the Republicans have prevented taxes going up more than they have. I like the 2/3 rule. I’m all for term limitations,
but maybe if we had the old pols–like Willie Brown–in office they would do a better job.

Ernest A