Our elected state officials have no respect for us. We trusted them—we voted—yet, they seem only to seek personal gain and power. They screw up. Then, they come to us for bailouts again, and again, and again. Like little children, they run from responsibility. Are any of them mature? Dependable?
This situation is sad. Our state’s economy is one of the largest in the world. Yet, it is on the verge of bankruptcy. And they put it there.
Spending is out of control. Borrowing is out of control. State pay and benefits, too, are two to three times that of the private sector—also out of control. Businesses are leaving. Our trained citizens are leaving. We can’t recover without them.
We would help a confused child. Our elected officials seem no different. Let’s help them: Let’s pass an initiative; require a budget in place each June 30.
This first budget would be for three years, balanced in the third. Future budgets would then be for two years, balanced in the second. Failure to have a budget in place on time would automatically curtail the term of office of 26 percent of the members of both houses of our State Legislature to the 31st day of December of the year of failure. Members curtailed would be those most senior, and they could not hold elected or appointed state office for the ensuing two years. Failure to present a balanced out-year budget as stipulated above would curtail the terms of another 26 percent—same procedures. Change could be made only by a two-thirds citizen vote. Elections would occur each even year. AND NO NEW TAXES!
This article appears in Jun 4-11, 2009.
