This morning Southern California was awakened by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake. In light of the recent Haitian and Chilean earthquakes, even a minor earth rumble causes jittery nerves. Experts keep warning that it’s only a matter of time before California has another major earthquake. One of the articles I read about this morning’s earthquake mentioned California’s last destructive earthquake, the 1994 Northridge quake, a 6.7 magnitude quake that killed 72 people. The Northridge quake caused $20 billion in damage.
As I read that number, I couldn’t help but think of the current $20 billion budget deficit California is facing. Emergency preparedness is yet another reason it’s so important for the state’s government to balance its books and have emergency funds set aside. We know it’s just a matter of time before another big quake strikes, or we have another devastating fire season. Legislators are violating their fiduciary duty to their constituents by spending and wasting taxpayer money. The state’s deficit isn’t just about wasteful spending—it also means that when we need funds to deal with a disaster, the money won’t be there to help victims and rebuild.
How shameful that our state has to declare a “fiscal state of emergency” because of the state’s spending problem. California, one of the most resource-rich states in the country, should be solvent and setting aside emergency funds. How big does the earthquake have to be to shake up Sacramento and bring back some fiscal responsibility?