While we argue about the economy and what is going to fix it, it is the infrastructure of California that crumbles. Most people in our State want reliable roads and water systems, dependable police, fire and public safety/service departments and quality education programs. And while we may debate what constitutes reliable, dependable and quality, one thing is for sure, it takes money to fund any of those things.
At least once a week, we have a new water main break on the news that has undermined a road. Our police and fire department personnel are being slashed at a time when demand for both has been great. And then there are the lines at DMV and other State Offices because of furlough days. Our pre-K through Higher Education system has taken nearly $20 BILLION in cuts over the past few years. Yet, for all of that the debate continues around what more needs to be cut rather than how to restructure our funding bases to continue to provide the Government Services we need, deserve and expect.
Government isn’t the politicians in Sacramento and Washington DC. Government is the people and services of the State. Taxes and Fees are not about salaries for politicians. We pay taxes to provide roads and freeways and for the implementation of security and safety forces like our police officers, prison guards and fire fighters. They built the waterways to bring much needed water to Los Angeles. They provide the funding for our education system. And they were meant to provide salaries for Legislators and Statesmen to help oversee and manage this great country of ours.
At the time Ronald Reagan was Governor of California, this State spent approximately 5.6% of personal income on education each year. We had the best higher education system in the country and we paid for it. In 2005, before these cuts, we spent about 4.4% or just over $15 billion less per year. Now it is down to approximately 3.4% of personal income. In that time, we have demanded much more from our schools but given them less resources to accomplish the goals set forth.
As we look to another budget crisis in California, I think we need to ask ourselves what we are willing to pay for the services we require. It’s time to look beyond what we can cut from the programs we have and figure out how to establish a more stable funding source. That is a function of our Legislature. Let’s hope we have legislators and not politicians working on our crisis this year.
2 Comments
Comment by Lori Adams — February 11, 2010 @ 7:19 am
Thank you Mikki. I don’t know how they can even consider cutting education more. We have cut all of the programs that make education attractive and are now cutting deep into the core of our educational programs. I don’t know how we are going to convince our students that they need to stick it out when we will not be able to connect with them.
Kids should demand more from education. It is equivalent to taxation without representation. They do not get to vote against cuts to their education but are at the mercy of narrow minded adults. Shame on adults for not looking out for students.
As always, thanks for providing this forum.
Comment by Roslyn Jones — February 13, 2010 @ 11:28 am
With these cuts come layoffs which means bigger class sizes which means less personal attention which mean lower test scores. Who will take the blame? Not the politicians making the cuts. It will be the teachers’ fault. We are under siege and we have to fight like this is a real war because, frankly, it is.
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