Voters may be asked to solve budget crisis in special election (Fresno: taxes, military)

[FresnoFacts]

The politicians may not be able to agree on a budget so some are proposing that the people do the job for them.

State Controller John Chiang and State legislative analyst Mac Taylor have both now suggested that budget cuts and tax increases be put to a statewide vote.

As the writer of this article says, "California voters might be forced to make the hard choices on the budget and taxes that the Legislature won't."
Voters may be asked to end state budget impasse

My personal opinion is that if the voters have to do the budget job, why do we need the politicians?

Maybe we need to also vote on either going back to a part-time legislature OR just recall the entire current group and elect new representatives.

[chuck22b]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

The politicians may not be able to agree on a budget so some are proposing that the people do the job for them.

State Controller John Chiang and State legislative analyst Mac Taylor have both now suggested that budget cuts and tax increases be put to a statewide vote.

As the writer of this article says, "California voters might be forced to make the hard choices on the budget and taxes that the Legislature won't."
Voters may be asked to end state budget impasse

My personal opinion is that if the voters have to do the budget job, why do we need the politicians?

Maybe we need to also vote on either going back to a part-time legislature OR just recall the entire current group and elect new representatives.

It's a pretty silly proposition to have the voters decide on budget cuts and/or taxes because the voters have little to no clue as to the effects of line item/program budget cuts or have the knowledge/details to make an educated decision.

The only questions they can probably ask of the voters is Yes/No on tax increases... and Yes/No on program cuts.... but the end result would be still not enough cuts, and/or not enough tax increases and it'll add yet another deficit item (special election) to an already large shortfall.

Just get some business consulting firms to go in there and make the decisions... or let Arnold actually be able to make executive cuts or orders (instead of circumventing him all the time or starting lawsuits). A democracy doesn't work that well in crisis situations. If fire/police/military/emergency rooms were run as a democracy nothing would get done.

Everybody has had to have cuts and sacrifices for this slow down... the State employees, legislatures, administrators, unions, and none essential programs should have to do the same.

-chuck22b