Sunday, June 21, 2009

Solutions Not Just Protests

California is in major budget crisis. Everyday, the news covers services that are proposed to be cut by the governor. People that are affected don't want those cuts. There are petitions to stop state park closures and protests to stop cuts to state home-care program.

Unfortunately, California is in a major budget crisis. By July 2009, without a budget that balances revenue to expenditure, California government will have to issue IOU's according to many news source (and this is one of them). It's tough to be the program that is on the chopping block. But perhaps petitions and protests are not the answer to financial problem. Instead, it would be more productive if people who are affected reviewed the actual budget and pointed out what else could be done so that affected programs can be saved. Is there belt tightening that could be done elsewhere? Is there a way to generate more revenue?

And going through line by line and then pointing out what could be done instead, would actually give constructive solution. Think that can't be done? The proposed budget and past finances is actually on this website. My understanding is, any government agency (federal, state, county, etc.), actually has to disclose all of this information publicly. (I could be wrong). It's just that no one actually bothers to review it and get back to the people that make decisions.

So, instead of petitions and protests, I say take apart the budget and propose a better solution.

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