Dec 17 2008
The Republican Plan to Solve California’s Budget Problem
The Republicans have finally come out with their plan to solve the California budget crisis. The plan has new revenues - but no new taxes. The plan has cuts - in some places deep cuts and in some places not so deep. But this is their plan - or should I call it a negotiation starting point?
I don’t believe that there is any Republican who thinks this plan would actually pass. But I do think it is a good idea that they get their plan out there, so that people can see they are not simply mouthing off without any plan b(as they have been apt to do in past years).
First of all, there is a good cut to education here. Some people reading this are going to tell me that there is no such thing as a “good” cut to education. However, I believe there is. The Republican plan suggests cutting the Prop. 98 spending to the lowest level required by Prop 98 - which means cutting the spending by $8.5 billion on K-12 education. I totally agree with this cut.
Education spending is a hot ticket item with Democrats, mainly because they are funded (in part) by the teacher’s unions. However, Prop 98 was put into place to level the playing field for schools and guarantee a minimum level of funding to schools. Schools have been enjoying more than their minimum level of funding while times have been good - and even in past years when times have been bad. However, when the state is facing a $40+ billion dollar deficeit and services to the blind, poor, elderly, veterans and children are taking hits - schools need to take their fair share too. No one is proposing cutting the schools below their constitutionally guaranteed levels. The Republicans are simply proposing cutting them to the bare minimum levels - which is what other programs in the state are being asked to do. When you consider a $40+ billion dollar hole, with education spending on K-12 taking up 40% (or more) of the budget, shouldn’t education spending be part of the cuts? $8.5 billion hurts. I know. But schools are a place for learning. And when schools cannot accomplish that basic function, then they shouldn’t have extras like sports. So cut the $8.5 billion and make them focus on the essentials - reading writing and math. And for anyone who think that schools cannot function at a lower level of funding, I will tell you to look at charter schools. Those schools do great things with a lot less funding per pupil than a public school.
Other cuts are going to be harder to make. However, the Republican plan does reduce (or eliminate) funding of various programs to illegal immigrants - or “people not eligible for the programs at the federal level.” I think this is a good thing. It is about time that California decides to follow federal law and make illegals be illegal - and not allow them to get the same benefits as everyone else.
To read more on the republican plan click here.
To read the actual republican plan, click here.
