Category: Politics

State Park & the Budget

I just got this email from a friend, and thought I should post this here.

“Hi Kate,
I was just listening to calchannel.com and the Budget Conference Session. The State Parks was on the agenda and a decision has not been made. LAO is all in favor of closing parks but there was quite a lot of support from the Assembly Members to not close all state parks. Would you be so kind as to put the word out there that they have not made a decision yet, but to get folks to write to the Assembly Members, Legislative Representatives and to the Governor to not close all state parks? Some of the ideas that were thrown around was to take some funding from Off Highway Vehicle Parks that are funded through three different sources. Another idea from Assembly Member Leno was to take $9.00 from DMV fees to offset costs (like Laird wanted to do). Anyway, I wrote and sent letters to Sen. Maldonado, Assembly Member Monning and yes, even the Governor.

This little community would be devastated if all parks on the coast closed.”

It would a be a nice time for all of us to do the same, and write to our legislature and let them know what we think.

State Budget & Legislator’s pay

Interesting article in the Sacramento Bee this am regarding what and how we pay our legislators. Currently, legislators make $116,208 per year. They also make $35,000 annually in tax-free per diem for living expenses, plus use of a leased vehicle, with gasoline and maintenance.

It is noted that while the state can cut their salaries, it can not do so in the middle of their terms. So a proposed 18% cut is not constitutional. The earliest cuts could be made is December 2010. The pay commission is exploring whether it can cut their per diem, car allowances, or other benefits in the middle of their terms.

Despite this, three legislators immediately cut their salaries by the 18 percent approved by the pay commission – Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park; Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria; and Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach.
If you want to express your appreciation to Sen. Maldonado, his website is:
click here.

Abel Maldonado represents Monterey County. Only three are doing the right thing. Only three.

State Parks & Other Budget Woes

Many proposals are on the table to resolve the continuing budget crisis in California. Notices have been sent to Med-Cal recipients that their benefits will be cut off in 30 days. The elderly and disabled are worried about whether they will losing their housing. 220 of our state parks may be closed, including Point Lobos, Pheiffer State Park, JP Burns, the Lighthouse, and many more. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. We all want services, schools, parks, prisons, etc. But no one wants to pay for them. 

For Big Sur, this could spell disaster, increasing the fiscal losses suffered as a result of the Basin and Chalk fires, the mudslides, and closures, to a level from which some will not be able to recover. We are mobilizing, and many are going to Sacramento tomorrow to testify about the impacts the closures would have on this community. 

Per MSNBC: 

A parks spokesman calls the plan “a worst-case scenario,” and says officials will try to keep as many parks open as possible. If adopted, the plan would mean layoffs for at least 2,000 park rangers, lifeguards and other workers.
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s budget calls for cutting $70 million in parks spending through June 2010. About $143.4 million more would be saved in following fiscal year by keeping the parks closed.

“A parks spokesman calls the plan “a worst-case scenario,” and says officials will try to keep as many parks open as possible. If adopted, the plan would mean layoffs for at least 2,000 park rangers, lifeguards and other workers.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s budget calls for cutting $70 million in parks spending through June 2010. About $143.4 million more would be saved in following fiscal year by keeping the parks closed.”

The parks closures is simply one proposal. There are many other cuts being proposed also. But what about our prison population? It is the largest fiscal drain California faces.

We have 177,000 inmates we are all supporting, at a minimum of $25K a year — each. That’s $4,445,000,000 a year. Every year. And every year the numbers increase, both the number of inmates, and the cost of supporting them. Our “lock-em-up-and-throw-away-the-key” policy is costing us dearly. One of my colleagues proposed a great retirement plan, for those with no other. Of course, it was tongue-in-cheek, but the prison system is fast becoming the one place where housing, food, clothing, medical and dental can be obtained for no cost to the recipient.

“Three-strikes and you are out” was ill-conceived. Voters jumped on the band-wagon without regard to the consequences of their actions. We have done that over and over. This is only one example, the one with which I have the most familiarity. We have to learn to look beyond the immediate and see the future of the actions we so cavalierly take. WE, as voters, must start thinking, rather than reacting. We need innovative ideas, if we are to survive this melt-down.

Along those lines, what if the Big Sur community were to mobilize our vast creative resources and come up with solutions, such as managing our own state parks? Run them ourselves. Perhaps lease them from the state and set up a mechanism whereby they become self-sustaining? Let’s start thinking of ways WE can implement a plan to keep them open, without dependency on a completely dysfunctional governmental agency like the state.

State Park Closures, an editorial, of sorts

I had planned on posting about my coastal time on Wednesday, but there is panic over California State Park closures. Almost every state park in Big Sur is on the block, according to the SF Chronicle. (See: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/g/a/2009/05/30/stateparks.DTL)

I may be wrong, and I certainly have been before, but the panic I am seeing may be premature. California is facing some tough decisions, it is true, but these proposals are just that. Some state parks will almost certainly have to close, but I am not convinced that all Big Sur Parks will. Those that approach a cost-effective analysis may not have to. Pelican Network is forming a group to go to Sacramento to plead the case for the Big Sur State Park, so if you are interested, please contact Jack at: Rocinante@PelicanNetwork.net

State Parks are not the only ones “on the block.” Those that will suffer the most are seniors, the mentally ill, the disabled, and children. Those who have the least political “clout.” Many will mobilize to save our state parks, our prison guards, our teachers, and others. All have the ability to mobilize members and political influence. Our elderly, mentally ill, disabled, and children do not. Yet, these groups face the biggest impact on services.

Let’s keep things in perspective. Yes, it is important to keep Big Sur viable. Yes, we have suffered, and will suffer even more if our State Parks close, but we are not the only ones. Let’s keep our eye on the broader picture. We cannot continue to function in the bubble we have created. And let’s stop “blaming” our elected officials. They are us. We elected them. We set up the “rules” under which they operate. We need a complete and total overhaul, and it MUST start with each of us.

Good news for the Big Sur State Park?

This press release issued this afternoon by the State Controller’s Office certainly makes it look like the money to finish the bridges in the State Park has been freed up.

SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang today announced new cash figures show the State is currently positioned to finish out the fiscal year without having to borrow an additional $1.5 billion from Wall Street.

In a letter to State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, Chiang noted that Lockyer’s ability to secure a $500 million note from Golden 1 Credit Union, the Legislature’s passage of a bill last week providing $1.57 billion in federal stimulus funds in April, and higher-than-projected funds available for internal borrowing will allow the State to meet all of its payment obligations through June 30, 2009.

“Averting the need for additional borrowing in a still-tight market is great news and will save Californians about $15.4 million in high interest rates,” Chiang said. “With sufficient cash on hand, we will be able to meet all of our obligations in full and on time, including tax refunds to California taxpayers and payments to private businesses and local programs that provide needed services to our most vulnerable residents.”

After enactment of the latest budget bill in late February, the Controller had projected the State would dip to a low of -$636 million in April. However, because of additional revenue erosion and increased expenditures in March, the low point in April fell to -$1.9 billion. But three factors changed those cash flow projections, which now show a low point on April 1, when the State will have $1.1 billion in the Treasury:

• A bill signed Friday to change Medi-Cal reporting requirements will provide about $1.57 billion in federal stimulus funds in April;

• Special funds used for internal borrowing grew by $1.35 billion, largely because they were not tapped when the State stopped funding infrastructure projects during the cash crisis, and;

• The Treasurer was able to secure a $500 million short-term loan from Golden 1.

Budget passed, now off to the Governor

The Sacramento Bee is reporting the budget passed both houses this morning. Abel Maldanado agreed to vote for it in exchange for no salary increases for legislators during deficit years; no pay for legislators until a budget is passed; and open primaries. Two out of three I’m just loving. I reserve judgment on the open primaries.

Two of the three proposals made it through. More willing to agree to an open primary system than were wiling to receive no pay if there was no budget. Figures. It is okay for me, and 100’s of thousands of independent contractors to not get paid when there is no budget, but the people responsible — the legislators, THEY will continue to get paid any time they cannot agree on a budget. I am very glad the state will finally pay me the money they owe me for work already performed, and expenses fronted, but I cannot tell you how disgusted at them I am for making sure THEY get paid, when so many others do not.

Gorgeous snow on top of Cone Peak for the second day in a row. I’ll try to get a photo and post this evening, but now that the state is paying me, I have to work for a living! Debbie also send a cute photo of ducks playing in the Big Sur River today. I’ll try to get that up, as well.

BTW, the rain total up here for Monday and Tuesday was 1.75 inches. Don’t have the daily breakdown.

State Park closure update, 2/12

From the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce:

“According to Matt Fuzie, District Superintendent for the Big Sur sector of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, there is a significant possibility that Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park will not be able to re-open the campground and day use areas as planned by Memorial Day Weekend due to the temporary and on-going cessation of the contract for the new bridge.  Until such time as the budget is passed in Sacramento and bond funds are freed up, the contractor will not be able to re-commence work. At the very least, the planned re-opening is likely to be significantly delayed into the summer season based on the current work interruption and in a worst case scenario it may be well after the summer season before the park re-opens the campground.
 
The campground has 200 sites and combined day use and camper population is approximately 1,000 people per day, every day during the summer season.
 
A Sacramento State economic study, commissioned by the California State Department of Parks and Recreation, determined that the economic multiplier for local communities with state parks was approximately $7 to $11 per every $1 spent in the park.  Additionally, with the existing closures of most of the various park and wilderness areas along the Big Sur coast due to the Basin Complex and Chalk Hill fires, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park’s continued closure in our summer season and beyond would have an outsized affect and virtually eliminate one of the most important reasons many travelers have to visit our area.
 
Currently, the best option available to the Department of Parks and Recreation is to find funding to re-install/replace the old Bailey bridge adjacent to the Highway 1 by Memorial Day, and thus allow access to the campground even if the new bridge project is still in limbo or incomplete.  There is enormous competition from communities and interest groups across the state for what scarce state dollars are available, thus we need to make a compelling case that the benefits of the park being open significantly outweigh the cost of an interim bridge.”

Budget deal?

Hold off on the panic re the State Park not reopening as planned for Memorial Day. The Sacramento Bee is reporting today that a deal has been reached, involving both taxes and spending, and a vote is expected on Friday. Of course, Friday may tell the story differently, so all we can do is wait for Friday, at this juncture. No indication from the story about furloughs, which has closed MAF on the 1st and 3d Fridays of the month.

Sorry to go back and forth between Storm Watch and Budget Watch. Please read the post immediately following, if you have not done so, as we have some potentially serious weather headed our way.

Californians are furious, and rightly so

Today, California stopped paying some of its bills. I am one of the “bills” it stopped paying. Newspapers throughout the state are fighting back with the written word, and editorials are ending up on the front page. (San Jose Mercury, for one)

It is time to do away with the 2/3rds majority vote, particularly as California’s minority party uses it to hold all of us hostage. Only two other states require a “super majority” – Rhode Island and Arizona. It works for them, but not for us. 

Enough is enough.

Notice to all my creditors – Arnoldbucks

Please consider this notice to all my creditors, that effective February 1, 2009, along with the State of California, who will be paying me with same, I intend to pay my bills with the following currency:

untitled

Thanks. And, of course, like the State of California, I will be unable to pay interest on the money I owe you. 

Sincerely,

BigSurKate

Attorney at Law

And here is part of an article by Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee published 1/30/09 covering my personal pet peeve about California’s budget:

“The fastest growing segment of the state’s deficit-ridden budget, by far, has been its prison system, reflecting severe overcrowding, generous labor contracts and federal court pressure to reform inmate health care.

“Corrections,” an ironic misnomer, has jumped from less than $5 billion a year to more than $10 billion in the last decade, over twice as fast as school spending, the biggest budget item. It now costs about $45,000 a year to feed, clothe and medicate each of the state’s 170,000-plus inmates, or roughly five times what taxpayers spend on a typical public school student. And that doesn’t count what it costs to supervise tens of thousands of parolees.”