Don’t Panic–Demand Reductions from the Top Down
You have heard me say before that when government has to reduce spending, they do so in the way that is most inconvenient to the public. The normal way to take care of budget shortfalls in government is to raise taxes. Almost all the Republicans have agreed not to do that now. In our area, I would like to thank Sen. Lee Hawkins and Reps. James Mills and Carl Rogers for signing the no-tax pledge. http://www.atr.org/userfiles/State%20Taxpayer%20Protection%20Pledge%20List(9).pdf It is good to see Real Republicans in action! The only way to limit government, is to limit government income–the more government has, the more it wants.
Look at the budget “solutions” we hear about daily. Closing schools, police precincts, and fire houses. Closing dumps early. Furloughs for cops and prosecutors. Seriously? These are examples of politicians trying to scare youand me into agreeing to increases in taxes. They say that there is no other way. Seriously? How about not paying your buddy $78,000 to chat with you informally about stuff? How about turning in the keys to the county vehicles for all but emergency personnel. What about making the school “officials” get out there and teach a class or substitute once in awhile. Stop travel to exotic locations for “training” classes. Cut from the top first. But government can’t do that because the “top” officials don’t deal with the public, and won’t get any sympathy.
In our private lives, when times get tough we all know what we do. We cancel vacations, don’t go out to eat, keep the old car, get rid of luxury items (e.g. cable TV, magazine subscriptions), shop smarter and look for sales. We take one trip to do everything instead of doing several. We eat Ramen. The kids play in the yard.
Government does none of those things. They reclassify everything that is a “luxury” as a necessity. They get the name brands because they already have the bid. They spend $1 to save $.50. They drive all over all day long on company time, in a company car, with company gas–to eat lunch.
Time for all that to come to an end. If there is a furlough for workers, then the managers should get double time off. AND NO FURLOUGHS FOR SALARIED EMPLOYESS UNLESS THEIR PAY IS “DOCKED.” Otherwise it is just a paid day off. As to elected officials, I can just say that I were one, I would be present for duty every day even if I had to sit in the parking lot in my own car for 8 hours. Turn in the keys to all the government cars today. Walk. Get rid of consultants and use your qualified employees (or get rid of unqualified employees). Make the cuts from the top. Make it inconvenient and uncomfortable for those on the top and let the workers provide the necessary health, safety, welfare, and education services we the Citizens have already paid for. And don’t come to us with your hand out–our pockets are empty.