Spending Cuts and the Budget

By Michelle Connor

California's economic woes have risen largely out of economic irresponsibility on the part of the Legislature's mismanagement of the budget due to one party rule. The budget as a whole needs to be evaluated from the top, down, and ineffectual expenditures need to be eliminated.

The budget as a whole needs to be evaluated from the top, down, and ineffectual expenditures need to be eliminated. California needs a strategy to get ourselves out of our current debt, but also we need to begin planning for the future. Michelle believes that 7% of California's yearly revenue should be put aside into a "rainy day" fund to safeguard against future debt. The legislature would be wise to show self-restraint by enacting a commonsense form of budget cap. A budget cap would help to keep the expenditures from outweighing the state revenue for the fiscal year. The legislature could also add more effective ways of dealing with the structural deficit the state will face in the next decade. As a state we need to look at paying off the bonds and loans faster to prevent further deterioration of the general fund over time.

California's government is overflowing with bureaucratic boards filled by appointments given by the governor and legislators. These non-elected appointees hold the power to create bureaucratic nightmares over the lives of California citizens. The members of these boards facilitate the social regulations that cost the state millions of taxpayer dollars a year, and push small and large businesses out of California. The boards need to be made culpable for their actions, and in many cases, they need to be consolidated. We need to see if it is feasible to consolidate duplicated jobs across state agencies and combine agencies that have similar missions.

Additionally, California is one of the only states that does not immediately adopt the prior year's budget if the legislature fails to enact one by the deadline. Michelle wants to change this so the state can continue its business even when the legislature fails to do its job. Furloughs and layoffs because the budget has not been passed are completely unacceptable for California.

Michelle Connor will refuse to vote for unnecessary bills the state cannot afford and which will not fix our problems. Instead, Michelle will work across the aisle, urging fellow assembly-members to look dynamically at the problems we face and to approach budget making in a way that will use the money we have effectively. Her priority in this is to meet our needs, invest in our economy's future health and to cut taxes. Michelle believes that the legislature should lead by example in its outcry for funding cuts. As a legislator, she will back legislation that is revenue neutral. She will personally take a 7-10% pay cut. She will only accept premium on days that she is in Sacramento. And she will push for reform on the amount of money legislators are allocated to purchase and pay for vehicles.

For more information visit, http://www.connorforassembly2010.com