Groups
Good Morning CALIFORNIA! Discussions « back to group
-
I asked a question over on Linkedin that is drawing some responses from Californians about how to "fix" California - you might find some of them of interest! Following is one response, see all of them here. What do you think about some of these suggestions?
Yes Ca is out of control = I live here as well,
What to do what to do? Straightforward answers to resolve the financial crisis and improve Ca bond credit rating which will also heelp resolve the credit crisis by lowering costs.
1) 10% across the board Ca. government spending cut a) All programs b) eliminate thru attrition 20% of Ca state jobs above the level of individual contributor (Worker) c) Immediate hiring freeze on all state employee positions except cops and fireman.
2) 10% across the board salary reduction for all Ca. state employees 3) 20% across the Board slary reduction for all Ca state employees making more than $100,000 a year 4) Eliminate bilingual education - teach em in English 5) 25% cut in all Ca employee reitrement/pension benefits for all retirees 6) No more "double dipping" into the Ca retirement system. You get retirement funds from somewhere else, that reduces $1 for $1 your Ca. retirement payment. 7) Fix Ca. disability and workers comp programs to get rid of abuse. 8) Stop spending Ca state,county,city funds on services/benefits to illegal aliens. -they don't like it, they can go home.
ditto for All Ca County and city positions - especially LA , San Fransisco. and San Diego.
The financial crisis will evaporate into the sunset, just as many Ca employees who don't like the reductions will leave the state for parts unknown. And life will go on.
We need new politicians - including a new Gov.
IMO - Ca try it,you'll like it!
17 replies
Log in or register to post a reply.
-
I just returned from a trip to Arizona. There were Border patrols everywhere. We went through Checkpoints, we saw cars being searched because their German Shepherd dog found drugs in the car. We went into Mexico for a few hours and the US border patrols were driving the border, night and day looking for illegals. I was pretty impressed with how many there were. I kind of felt like i was in Russia or something because we went through at least 4 border patrol checkpoints not just at the border but along Arizona highways. I am sure there are not enough to cover the flow of people entering the US from Mexico. Regarding CA being out of control, I personally think they are. They still don't have a budget passed and if they pass the tax increase, more people are going to lose their houses. My husband has been unemployed since November and let's face it folks, when is it all going to end...when the banks own all of our property? Where is the breaking point? Kathleen Davis, President KzDavis Recruiting
-
Jessica, did you read about that school where the kids have to walk outside in a bad area on a dangerous street to go to the library, because the (broke) school shut down their library? I wish all of us CA ERE members could go chop down those trees and build a library attached to the elementary school.
-
I saw something today that really ticked me off. While driving on the 55 freeway here in SoCal I saw palm trees being planted next to the freeway. These are not cheap trees, at least 500 bucks a pop and there were about 20 of them. I really felt ripped off when I saw this. Here we are with budget issues, millions of dollars in bonds out there and IOUs being issued on state tax refunds and the state spends money on Palm Trees for the freeways!!!! This is an unbeleivably wasteful and irresponsible way to use what little money this state has!!!
-
"Also ending public education for illegal immigrants will produce a mass of uneducated people"... The public education system in CA is already producing a mass of uneducated people and a lot of them work or are elected into state government. What is it..47th or something like that in education. In fact one of the best exports that CA has is ignorance and CA has successfully exported it national wide and to all levels of government and right to the white house.
Let's see, who was supposed to secure our borders? Oh, that's right I thought government. So who is accountable for the illegal problem and all the issues that come with that? Why it couldn't be the government could it? And the American people have had to drag them (both parties) kicking and screaming to try and get them to secure the borders. The only people held accountable are the American taxpayer (unless you are going to be put in charge of the IRS)and business owners in April when the government does the tax shake down of your wallet.
-
While some of your ideas are good ones, I really feel the need to respond to spending on illegal immigrants.
If when you talk about ending services and benefits for them, you are including health and education, I think that would set up a VERY dangerous situation for the future.
If we have no health services for illegal immigrants, they will get diseases like TB and then pass them on to the general population.
Also ending public education for illegal immigrants will produce a mass of uneducated people and a corresponding spike in crime.
Just a few thoughts....
Oh, also on bilingual education. Keep it! My daughter is a US citizen born in Chile. We are purposely sending her to a school offering bilingual education.
As of the 2007 census 48% of all Californians were Hispanic. Like it or not, the Spanish Language is a part of our culture and heritage.
-
My comments reflect my personal views only and in no way are supported or refect anyone but myself.
-
"Calling each other names"? "Freakin Republican" isn't insulting a whole bunch of Americans??? And NO, I am not a Republican! That's right government accepts NO "blame" for their stupidity. They only blame the tax payer for not coughing up enough money for their ill gotten schemes. Yes "tearing another down" IS the answer, it's this mentality that got us here in the first place and it needs to be torn down and I am not referring to just one political party as they are both to blame! I have to get back to work, as my boss just told me I am no ENTITLED to this job-unlike government workers that think they are!
-
Hmmm.... Look, I hear your pain and aggravation too. But there's just no sense in calling each other names and blaming one another for society's ills. Hard lessons have been learned all around. NOW is the time to take stock, pick ourselves up and get moving. Tearing one another down is not the answer.
It's hard for persons in this country to talk politics and not scream at each other and that's a big problem for all of us. Let's try to find some common ground. Maureen
-
Suffering, compassion, understanding??? How about the businesses and tax payers of this state that have been suffering with no compassion and a government that doesn't understand anything when it comes to fiscal responsibility. They have been like leeches bleeding this state dry. Where has the sympathy been for the tax payer and businesses since we are the whipping boy for all their waste, fraud and abuse in government programs! I don't want to pull in the "same direction" that this state has pulled us in the past. Yes there is a reason of I "Told you so" as it's learning from the past. But government rarely learns without a painful process that negatively effects everyone. And how about Colleen's inane response "you deserve to know that you have a job waiting for you"! Give me a break! Oh, that's right when you are a government employee, the tax payers owe you a job? How arrogant and self centered can you be! Once again proving there is no level incompetence that government cannot obtain! Where do we get these ideas. Oh that's right in government as they can't hack it in private businesses so we keep them in government as part of our welfare plan! Want to know what is wrong with the CA schools and colleges? You are definitely seeing a skull full of mush on display on this blog. I suggest Tessa sue her college as obviously she didn't learn much getting a Masters Degree. How can Tessa's cry be one of "anguish" as all she has to do is wait for Obama to "spread the wealth around with other people's money. If she doesn't get her money all she has to do is act like Obama and talk with him under no pre-conditions and I am sure he will give her some. Yep, if your waiting for the government to make you rich you will be forever waiting! There is a life outside government and I suggest you learn to grow up and deal with it! Good news 10,000 CA workers to be laid off that will now have to deal with reality and not owed government job protection. Bad news, no tax break for me!
-
More pain and even more reason to reach out.
-
Yikes you guys. People are suffering and no matter what went before we're all in this together and need to figure out a way to pull in the same direction. There's no time or place anymore for the luxury of "Told you so" and finger wagging. Let's get on the same page and find some common ground.
Tessa's cry is one of the anguish that many are experiencing - people are pressed backs up against the wall -let's show some compassion and understanding. In today's costly world, it doesn't cost a cent.
"In today's complex and fast-moving world, what we need even more than foresight or hindsight is insight.�?? ~ Somebody said it; I don't know who.
-
Right on Mr. Miller!!! There are plenty of cool aide drinkers voting, elected & working in government. Just look at our recent election! Where else can you pay such exorbitant taxes (oh, now they are fees!) for lousy service and a bureaucracy nightmare. Could a private business operate this way and survive? Heck no and no one would use them and Tessa would be out of a job rather than whine like she is Napa! However the arrogance of the state of California law makers (and you don't have to look far to find the workers with the same mentality) have no trouble telling business how to operate when they have no clue how to manage anything and they prove it over and over again. I think they are all constipated as I doubt they can manage to go to the bathroom.
-
I'm sure there are many hard working and well meaning people working in the government sector. Tessa's reply was very interesting in that she had almost as much anger for her union as she did for the Governator and Republicans. Unfortunately she is another democratic cool-aid drinker who by her vote continues to keep this regrettable Democratic legislature in power in Sacramento. It is the Democrats who have recklessly spent our tax money like drunken sailors over the years with no regard for the consequences. They pander to the unions, particularly the public employee unions, and for what? So they can stay in office. Yet by Tessa's own admission the union is doing nothing for her. The Governor, to his credit, attempted to take some much needed reforms to the people of California with some referendums a couple of years ago. The Democrats and the unions banded together, spent millions of dollars and caused the propositions to be defeated. Tessa, that's why your dues have gone up. The union is still tryting to pay for their political campaign against the Governor. I'll be the first to admit that Governor Schwarzenneger has been ineffective. He has been emasculated by the legislature and the unions and has also been sold an expensive bill of goods by the environmentalists. But please don't blame the calamity that is California on the Republicans. It's been quite some time since Republicans wielded any power in this state. Wake up and smell the coffee. The Democrats run Californai. Period.
-
And Tessa sounds like a freakin idiot!! All you have to know that what is wrong with CA is to read her rantings. Hillary was right, it takes a village to raise an idiot and this state has done a darn good job of educating, raising and praising them. There is so much stupidity in her thought processes that I don't have all day to write a novel about it. I have to work to send my exorbitant taxes to keep the waste fraud and abuse alive and well in CA! You got a Masters Degree??? Once again proving that if you are a stupid college graduate and can't cut it in the private sector the government has a job for you!!!! Just proving once again why companies should shy away from government workers (and I use the term workers loosely). She has a right to be angry? Well so do I paying for this kind of stupidity and unlike Maureen I don't care if I upset you! Hey, I got an idea-Tessa, if you don't like it there, how about getting a job in the private sector where you aren't owed a job!
-
Tessa,
Thank you for your service. As a Vet I remember working for the Government. I made enough to survive, but that was it. You and the other state workers deserve better than you get from our governor. At the very least you deserve to know you have a job waiting for you when you get in in the morning. I hate how the uncertainty is stressing everyone out.
Colleen
-
Tessa, you sound angry with a right to be.
Please understand the snippet on my post was from one of the responses from a CA resident to my LinkedIn question (not posted).
Your response is admirable and you might consider posting it in the LinkedIn forum along with the others. The link to the original string is included in the original ERE post.
I did not mean to upset you and I apologise for doing so. Maureen
-
You sound like a freakin Republican no better than the governor. Totally out of touch. We state workers have been cut pay, cut staff have had a freeze on hiring and have lost workers due to attrition ans we stillhavea budget defict. We have been over worked and underpaid for so long and it is outrageous that we keep being the ones that are the scapegoats. We are over burdeneed with work and you say cut more state service and freeze jobs we have been on a freeze it doesn't work. We need employees and people need jobs and we can't hire them. More taxes are needed on businesses that can afford it and not on workers who can't. Income needs to be generated. More state lottery money going not just to schools but to the government, and less to the winners. We need income. Not cuts. We are dealing with a 9.9 % unemployment rate and we have not been able to hire people . Our UI workers are working overtime on weekends trying to get peoples checks processed . Peoopple cznt get through on the phones we dont have enough staff to answer them or call centers and Ui offices are not open to the public so they come into the Job service offices angry, blaming us. We are not working Ot but are being made to work on furlough days. We have to stay open now. I make 2700 a month after taxes as a single person, now cutting my pay down is no answer for the thousands of state workers that are trying to pay their mortgages and rents on that little pay. Our benefits have been cut so that we are paying 20% of the costs now plus higher co pays for medications. We have outrageous union dues for a union that does nothing but take it and refurnish their offices and take vacation. they got aus a raise lst year of 3 % and they raised their des by 10% so our take home went down not up. They are suppossed to be renegoitating our salary as the ocntract is up and instead they have not fought against this furlough only signed on and allowed a different union representing other state engineers to pay the costs to fight the governor .However we lost. How would you like to work for less? We do not get represented when we need it. They are never there. We are in a horrible situation in California and we are not the cause why should state workers have to pay? I work hard for my money. I have a masters degree. i have been working for the state for 20 yrs and it has never been this bad. I used to pay nothign for my health benefits and had better choices now we have eithr Blue Shield HMo or Kaiser or a PPO that costs more to have than it is is worth. I cant' afford to pay 500.00 a month for health care and a 1000 deductible for a PPO so I get stuck with a HMO that is costing me 126.00 a month for insurance plus co pays and then the state pays 80% more for it.The HMOs are reducing what they pay doctors and the docotrs on the HMOs are providing less care. They are attacking our pensions now that we have paid into. We need to get rid of the governor and all Republicans in the senate and assembly so real change can take place. The Republican administration is responsible for this mess in Ca like they are for the mess in Washington. We need to change that 2/3 have to agree on budget decisions rather than a simple majority. Democrats had a plan to fix the government but the Republican governor vetoed it. When the majority of people voted for Obama they realized the current system isnto orng trickle down economics doesnt work, cutting taxes ont he rich doesn't work and cutting programs that serve the taxpayer that are needed doesnt work. Illegal aliens do not get beneifts. That is such BS. They have to show right to work documents to get Unemployment Insurance (UI or welfare.) The governor has been paying extortion money to the utilities who created several years ago rolling blackouts saying we had a electrical shortage that they created. Davis found out they created it and so the money he paid them to turn the lights back on he was going to default on since they didnt deserve it but they got rid of Davis and put in schwartzenegger on the condition he pay it back. That is what is strangling the state. That is what they should stop paying is that loan back so we would have more money for programs that serve the people of California the real taxpayers.
I am outraged at the attitude of people who use state services like DMV and EDD when they need it but are so willing to have us be cut when we are so underpaid compared to what the private sector gets. If you have not walked in our shoes you have no business telling anyone that we should be cut. How dare you?
I take this personally as a state worker. You private recruiters have no idea .
-
