The state of California is broke. Multi-billion dollar deficits are decimating our present and impoverishing our future.
The political class in Sacramento has refused to tackle major problems to restore sound fiscal discipline in California. Public sector unions control politicians and the levers of power throughout the state. The extensive overlapping of state boards, agencies, and departments must be reduced. Despite Governor Brown’s responsible plan for entitlement reform, his own party will not support it.
A tax increase is the last thing that this state needs. California's leadership has no right to take any more money from consumers and entrepreneurs to make up for the waste, fraud, and corruption which has been eating away at our public core while depriving private citizens of a safe and proper place to live.
Public education indeed is important, but not if it means sinking more money into a system which has routinely failed to budget properly and invest in innovation and reduction of state power.
There is plenty of money, but the way that the money is spent, coupled with a lack of market forces to compel competition, inevitably results in waste and fraud.
California was the Golden State once. She can shine again, but not by taking the gold from the hardworking taxpayers in this state, who budget and save and invest properly, unlike their elected representatives. Voters in this state should reject any tax increase proffered by local and state officials until there are meaningful reforms in spending and deficit reduction.