How fix CA deficit? Do as New York plans: cut overall state expenditures by 2%. Hold taxes flat. Cut most agencies by 10%. Cut $2 billion in Medicaid. Cut prison costs. Layoff 9,000 state workers.
Then CA must make structural changes which so far New York avoids. The CA govenor should cap property taxes — so localities and schools are on a permanent spending diet. And CA must do pension reform so state and local government workers are comparable to private sector employees. And something California and every county including Santa Cruz should do is get rid of the services budgeting system with its automatic pilot spending “escalators”. It’s ridiculous to have automatic spending increases which are tied to other metropolitan areas. And on and on it goes.
When cutting Medicare CA and our local Santa Cruz County Mental Health system should look to Rhode Island which trimmed 1+ billion and improved quality of care for seniors.
So where are some local Tea Party supporters that can run the numbers how Santa Cruz County can make across the board cuts and get rid of the local “escalator” clause?
Written by DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
For informaton on what New York seeWSJ Opinion, 3-29-2011
