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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