Comments on: Jerry Brown declares war on trinkets

By: Joe M.

Joe M. — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 23:47:52 +0000

I agree with Wendy Lack above. Gov. Brown’s cutting state autos and cell phones are a good (through mostly symbolic) first step, but the public pension schemes are really what are bankrupting the State of California. The institution of the “3% at 50″ pension scheme, enacted in 1999 and signed by Gov. Gray Davis, will decimate the state budget for decades to come. It needs to be reformed immediately. Sen. Hancock’s S.B. 490 is a good, small first step, but much, much more needs to be done than S.B. 490. Voters should refuse to approve the tax increases at the upcoming special election(s) until the state legislature resolves the public pension problem, especially the “3% at 50″ pension scheme. Common citizens shouldn’t have to pay higher taxes so that public employees can retire at age 50 and earn $100,000 a year for the rest of their lives. So if “3% at 50″ is not reformed, vote “NO!” on the tax increases.

By: Wendy Lack

Wendy Lack — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 08:45:03 +0000

@ Common Tater:

Gotta appreciate Jerry’s knack for using symbols, though.
– Flying commercial
– Cutting state autos and cell phones and trinkets

Jerry’s contrived moves capture headlines while the 800-lb. labor gorilla continues freely living the high life at state expense.

However, the doings in Wisconsin, et. al., are resonating nationwide, even in CA. The media may be distracted by Jerry’s gimmicks, but increasing numbers of apolitical people are becoming aware of the public pension issue.

Will be fascinating to watch all of this play out in CA, as the general public begins to understand the disproportionate power of public sector labor groups on state politics.

By: Common Tater

Common Tater — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 02:25:17 +0000

Moonbeam is going to do away with trinkets but keep the public service employee unions! I’d rather have the trinkets.