Cut the Taxpayer-Funded Political Gimmies
By Assemblyman Tony Strickland
A few weeks ago, Governor Davis held a press conference flanked by law
enforcement officers from throughout the state. The message was that public
safety funding would be cut unless Governor Davis is allowed to raise taxes.
Later, a community college counselor wrote me to say the school's student
enrollment will have to be cut in half next year because of plans to lay off
professors and academic counselors. Governor Davis warned community college
officials that their budget will be subject to significant cuts this year.
I disagree with the governor. Public safety and education should not be
first on the chopping block during a budget crisis. We must first look to
eliminate fraud, waste and abuse.
One of the first areas in which I would look to reduce waste are the many
state boards and commissions that are used by the Governor, Assembly Speaker
and Senate President Pro Tem to reward their political supporters. There
are more than 60 state boards and commissions in existence, costing
taxpayers $360 million annually.
Appointments to state boards and commissions are "political gimmies," handed
to political supporters and friends by high-ranking state politicians. Many
state board and commission members are paid more than $110,000 a year for
their service, even though they meet only once or twice a month.
Very few, if any, of the officers who stood with Governor Davis at his press
conference make $110,000 a year, and they work risking their lives every
day. Local schools can hire two or three quality teachers with the salary
of just one commissioner. In a time when the state is scaling back
education funding and reducing public safety services, it is now more than
ever wrong to ask taxpayers to pay for political handouts.
Unfortunately, Democrat legislators and the governor disagree. During the
emergency legislative session meant to tackle our budget deficit, I offered
a proposal to eliminate these boards and commissions. My proposal was not
even given the opportunity to be discussed and was immediately tabled and
dismissed.
My Democrat colleagues find it easy to talk about cutting the number of
officers patrolling our streets, cutting the number of teachers in our
classrooms, and even allowing prisoners to be released early. They did not
even have a problem tripling the car tax paid by taxpayers who work very
hard everyday. However, they have a problem just entertaining the thought
of cutting some of their friends from fat and lucrative political
appointments worth $110,000 a year for one or two meetings a month.
To be fair, members of both parties have enjoyed these patronage
appointments in recent years. It's just become accepted practice. However,
we should take advantage of this fact to develop bipartisan support to
reform the boards and commissions arrangement.
It's time for a change. Sure it won't be easy, as many appointments go to
former legislators, a fact known by current legislators in this age of term
limits. But it is the right thing to do.
Admittedly, the $360 million dollars spent on these commissions is just a
portion of the $26 billion deficit that our state needs to address.
However, the best approach to solve our budget woes is to set our
priorities, and then cut or reduce the lowest priority items first.
And "political gimmies" cannot be considered a high priority.
Assembly Republican Caucus Chairman Tony Strickland represents the 37th
Assembly District in the California Legislature.
Filed February 2003 |
