Jan 14 2009
On Democrats, the Legislature and Furloughs
There has been a lot of news lately about the state worker furloughs. I feel the pain - I too work for the state. I am going to have to take a 10% pay cut and 2 days of “vacation” a month. At least I get the days off with the pay cut, and not simply a pay cut without vacation.
But in a time where everyone needs to pitch in with the deficit, the state-wide elected Democrats are saying no. They don’t want to furlough their staff. I understand why. It creates uneasiness among the staff, and a certain level of resentment. Furloughs mean harder economic times, and that is not anyone’s desired position. But when there are constitutional officers who will not commit to a decrease in spending - not just through furloughs but by any means - you have to wonder if they are in touch with the people who elected them.
Now, instead of those Democrats having spending cut in their departments, they will remain whole while other places are going to have to take cuts. I am not saying that saving $100 million from each Constitutional officer is going to make up the problem, but every little bit counts.
It is clear that the elected Democrats don’t want to do their part.
The Legislature is also not doing their part. I don’t think this surprises anyone. The Legislature has refused to announce - or commit to - a spending reduction. Instead various proposals are being sent to Sen. Steinberg’s office without specific parameters or goals for savings. The spokesperson for Speaker Bass has said that the Assembly currently has no plans or specific goals for spending reductions.
I am glad that they all want to share the pain around “fairly.” I guess fair means only so much as it doesn’t impact them and their staff. What is wrong with sharing in a spending cut when they have caused the problems? I am not saying the full blame rests on them, but certainly part of the blame does. It is the Legislature that passes the budget, so they have some blame for the situation we are in now.
Everyone needs to share. If state workers have to take furloughs, then everyone needs to commit to a spending cut. If they don’t want to commit, they should come out and say that the work they do is so important, they cannot spare a penny out of their budgets.
However, the Legislature saying that would be absurd. They don’t do the important work - like solving the budget problem. They leave that to other people.
