More people now know it’s a lie when tax-and-spend Democrats and a few tax-hike Republicans claim they “just can’t” reduce anymore government spending and that they “have no choice” but to raise taxes on California families.
One of the outrageous examples of waste is the former chief of a small California fire district who figured out how to retire at 50 with a $241,000 annual pension. Other maddening stories of fraud and waste are popping up:
Fraud infects state in-home care program
Los Angeles Times, April 13
Generous sick-leave cash-outs for retirees cost San Jose millions of dollars
San Jose Mercury News, April 12
California’s sky-high government pensions are largely arranged by unions and union-backed Democrats in elected office. The problem was exacerbated in 1999 when Democrat Gov. Gray Davis allowed what no other state allows — retirement pensions based on your highest salary in one year (not multiple years).
It’s surprisingly good that the Los Angeles Times is accurately reporting, “The unions donate heavily to the campaigns of Democrats who control the Legislature and organize get-out-the-vote efforts on their behalf.”
The pension bloat in government is just the tip of the iceberg. SaveCalifornia.com has exposed 10 ways that California’s government is wasting tens of billions of dollars.
TAKE ACTION
1. RALLY: Plan to rally on Wednesday, April 15 against high taxes and out-of-control government spending at a Tax Day Tea Party near you. California’s biggest tea party is expected in Sacramento.
2. EMAIL: Send SaveCalifornia.com’s pre-written email message to Governor Schwarzenegger and your California state legislators, demanding “No new taxes, never again!”
3. CALL: Call your city councilmembers and county supervisors, telling them, “I want you to reform cushy pensions for police and fire and other employees. You have the power to renegotiate contracts with the government employee unions. We taxpayers can no longer afford sky-high pensions and we’re sick and tired of it!” (Find numbers in your phone book in the city and county government pages.)
4. VOTE: Shorten the duration of California’s tax hikes by voting NO on Prop. 1A on May 19.
“When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, ‘just men who will rule in the fear of God.’ The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our] government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the Laws.” — History of the United States by Noah Webster
Tags: SaveCalifornia.com
RSS 2.0 Feed