THE BUDGET NEEDS AN $8 BILLION HAIRCUT
Today, according to the California Constitution, is the technical deadline for passing a balanced state budget. The lack of a budget agreement is actual a good thing for California taxpayers, because it means that fiscally responsible Republican legislators are resolved to see some reigning in of California’s out-of-control ballooning state budget.
We here at the FlashReport support the efforts of State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines to impose curbs in discretionary state spending.
If anything, our biggest challenge is that state government spending is so out-of-whack that none of the proposals for cuts come even close to addressing the massive over-spending. If you read our featured column today from John Seiler, you would conclude that the starting point in budget negotiations should be finding an immediate $8 billion in spending cuts.
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WILL MRS. LEWIS LET JERRY RETIRE?
If Congressman Jerry Lewis ("R" – Redlands) doesn’t retire as has been hinted at by Bob Novak and others, it might be because his family cannot afford the pay cut. Did you know that his wife is his Chief of Staff? There are rules against such nepotism, but there is an exception if that staff person was hired before the Congressional marriage. Well, Arlene Willis has been on staff with Lewis since the 1970’s and according to the Associated Press she is bringing in a cool $130,000 a year in salary. With the Lewis family pulling out about $300,000 grand a year in salary from the House of Representatives, that seems like a powerful disincentive to retire. Never mind that other big reason — Lewis clearly relishes the doling out of federal money on constitutionally questionable pork barrel spending. If he retired, he would only be able to give away his own money.
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UNITED SENATE REPUBLICANS CAN SAVE TAXPAYERS BILLIONS
Yesterday we wrote about the resolve of State Senate Republicans to reject the appointments of three people to the California Community College Board of Governors because the three have staked out a radical position of wanting to increase benefits to criminal aliens. Word is that the Governor may pull these appointees from consideration rather than have them rejected by the Senate (each requires a 2/3 vote).
It is our hope that the unity on this issue exhibited by Senate Republicans serves as an inspiration going into the budget season. Because Democrats need only two Republican votes to get the needed 2/3’s, it is often the case that Republicans in the Senate have been ‘dismissed’ when it comes to major items such as the budget. United, Senate Republicans can have a tremendous positive impact on much of the garbage proposed by liberal Democrats.
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