How does he get away with this? (Los Angeles, Davis: bankruptcy, salaries)

[kenk]

^ yep, state employees got it too good and they need to start eliminating positions to save the state deficit. Why is it the budget gap is so high yet they won't cut any employees like the private sector?

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

So the Gov cut the pay of the state work force. Many of those people make more in overtime pay then they do from their normal paycheck. This is how it works....

Not all state employees do. Those I know can't work overtime. They're unable to go in on their days off because the buildings are closed (or if they go in to catch up on paperwork, it's on their own time).

We have doubled the number of state employees in the past 10 years. I think that what Arnold needs to do is eliminate many of the positions, including the cushy jobs his friends have.

I agree with you there. Giving someone a $115,000 salary--simply because they lost a reelection--for a position that meets on a board 12 times a year is outrageous. (What is a "waste board," anyway?)

[Ludachris]

Politics can be ridiculous. That's all you can really say about it.

[buckeyenative01]

Originally Posted by cobmw

You guys need to vote in a Democrat governor. Then there will be no more tension between the governor and the Democrat legislature. All will be fine. All problems will disolve. The legislature will write the checks and the governor will sign them. It really would make everything much easier.

The Democratic candidate in 2006 (Angelides) wasn't any better qualified to run the state than Arnold (or Gray Davis). First time I ever voted third party was in the 2006 CA Gubernatorial race...

It could be worse. Arizona is currently looking for ways to cut spending and they're focusing mostly on education. Arizona already ranks 50th in educational funding per student.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by kenk

^ yep, state employees got it too good and they need to start eliminating positions to save the state deficit. Why is it the budget gap is so high yet they won't cut any employees like the private sector?

The union contracts play some part in this, on top of political backlash. Similar situation the domestic car companies are in, since they end up paying some people nearly full salary for a time after they laid them off. Poorly devised contracts with their employees and too much political clout at stake to challenge it.

[yo vanilla]

Originally Posted by cobmw

You guys need to vote in a Democrat governor. Then there will be no more tension between the governor and the Democrat legislature. All will be fine. All problems will disolve. The legislature will write the checks and the governor will sign them. It really would make everything much easier.

Bah. Democrat, Republican, they are just two different sides of the same coin.

[CA4Now]

If Obama can freeze the pay of the White House staff (those making over $100,000), then Schwarzenegger should make some attempt to do the same.

[ImRandy]

My wife is a state employee. She does get a lot of holidays but she earns far less than she would in the private sector. She's at the top of her pay scale. Hasn't gotten a raise (not even cost of living) in years meaning she's earning less now than she did when she started. She doesn't get overtime. She works after she comes home and before she goes to the office. She answers her work cell no matter the time of day or night and no matter if she's sick or not. She makes herself available 24/7 and the state takes advantage of it.

Now to top it off, her salary isn't even paid through the state's budget but she is going to have her salary cut because of this crisis. It's complete BS. If you want to balance the budget you're going to do better by eliminating entitlements, pointless programs, rampant fraud, and all of the duplicative positions instead of unilaterally hacking away at hard working employee's salaries.

[CA4Now]

"Is anybody at the wheel here?" said Michael Josephson, president of the nonprofit Josephson Institute of Ethics in Los Angeles. John Cruz, the appointments secretary for Schwarzenegger, lives hundreds of miles from the state Capitol, and recently billed taxpayers for nearly $4,200 in traveling for one month. He said he didn't know that state employees were not supposed to be reimbursed for.....
See:
FREE RIDES USED STATE FUNDS - Los Angeles Times

[TNRyan23]

Its a shame what's happening to you guys out in California. As a kid growing up I always wanted to move out there, Unfortunatly, That dream died and will likley never return due to all the problems out there.

I wish you all good luck.