California's 356,000 public employee union members are managing to run our state of 37 million people. With the union puppet masters pulling their strings, California's Democrats have managed to stall any serious debate about spending cuts by continually demanding more tax money from you.
So what is left to discuss? How about food?
Yes, faced with a $26.3 billion deficit and a pile of worthless IOUs, the Legislature recently focused its efforts on the definition of honey and a blueberry commission.
Even worse, as California's credit rating was downgraded just two notches above junk bond status, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, decided to boycott a meeting with the governor because he wanted to explore ideas that would address both short- and long-term fiscal solvency. Apparently, reducing pension benefits for new public employees and allowing schools to hire nonunion labor for some positions, while serving Californians well, are off-limits for the union leaders.
Wasted legislative time and boycotted meetings are just two examples of how California is paralyzed by the special interests. If private industry were consumed with the same finger-pointing and complete lack of accountability, our economy would rapidly collapse.
Why, then, does the liberal left continually attack the very industry that provides the employment while simultaneously proposing new taxes on Californians who are struggling with near-12 percent unemployment? Thanks to the Legislature, California has the highest gas and sales tax, the highest vehicle license fees, and the second highest top-bracket personal income tax in the nation.
As for businesses, the corporate tax rates in California are the highest of all the Western states. According to a survey of 543 CEOs, the current tax policy and labyrinth of obstructive state regulations makes California the worst place in the nation to conduct business. The end result is demonstrated in a recent Milken Institute report, noting that nearly 400,000 California manufacturing jobs were lost between 2000 and 2007. In this same period, industrial employment grew in tax-friendlier Texas and Arizona.
Back home, as private jobs leave California, the public employee unions continue to demand more of your tax dollars. Meanwhile, Democrats await marching orders from their golden cows of campaign finance. One of these Democrats, Tony Mendoza, who is self-described as "an active member in the United Teachers Los Angeles" has introduced Assembly Bill 155, which is awaiting action in the Senate.
If AB155 passes, it would prevent cities and other local governments from seeking bankruptcy protection unless the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission first gives its approval. Naturally, this nine-member board is dominated by union-friendly Democrats. Therefore, any local government in need of bankruptcy protection would first have to appeal to this commission, and the city's unions would instinctively turn to the board's Democrat majority to protect their interests at all costs.
Of course, AB155 would basically duplicate the oversight of our federal courts, but it would give even more power to public employee labor unions.
Yes, California is facing challenging times. Nonetheless, it is axiomatic that if we keep electing the same people and parties, then there is no hope for a brighter future. So please answer this one fundamental question: Are you going to let the public labor unions run your state, or are you ready to do something to help?
Dr. GARY GONSALVES is a North County anesthesiologist and co-founder of Stop Taxing Us. Contact him at www.StopTaxingUs.com.
