In all the talk of the California Budget and all the severe cuts
and hardships common folks will face, considering the hard cuts our
politicians had to make, I never once heard mention of how much the
politicians are willing to cut from their own inflated salaries and
perks. I’m sick of hearing them lamenting how hard it was to make
these difficult cuts. What are they willing to sacrifice other than
us taxpayers?
In all the talk of the California Budget and all the severe cuts and hardships common folks will face, considering the hard cuts our politicians had to make, I never once heard mention of how much the politicians are willing to cut from their own inflated salaries and perks. I’m sick of hearing them lamenting how hard it was to make these difficult cuts. What are they willing to sacrifice other than us taxpayers?
I was a State worker for 20 years and finally reached $20 per hour. Top of my pay scale. I don’t know what Senators and Legislators are paid and perked, but I do know cutting one of them 5% would save our State a lot more money than a cut to my salary… and they would still have salary and perks much higher than the average tax payer and state worker.
I’m amazed that I have not heard anybody in the media, in politics, or in general even mention cuts for the guys making the cuts. Where are the figures of their salaries and how much 5% across the board would save the state? Where’s the list of all their perks we pay for and how we could save there? How can it be that they went untouched by the crisis when many will suffer their decisions? While workers around the country take cuts to pay or hours so their fellow employees can keep their jobs, while education will suffer affecting the future of children, and public services cannot provide what we pay for, etc… what have our leaders sacrificed? They feel bad?
If we are to stand up for what’s right and fair, we need to fight these government injustices. I suggest everybody start writing your governor, congressmen, senators and legislators (and any other political affiliation that went un-cut) and demand to know what they sacrificed through all the hard cuts. Perhaps a little shame is in order for them. Or put in terms of votes and maybe they’ll actually listen.
Brenda Matthews, Hollister
