Letter: Governor needs to compromise (July 13)
Just a few words on the condition and State of California lately, a state that is admired throughout the world for its beauty and its people.
We know that hard times have befallen everyone. It seems every few months Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is leading the way to correct the budget, or as he is saying as of late, to reform California to fix the budget crisis. As governor, that seems to be his sole motivation, yet there have been other governors who have faced similar situations, and have looked elsewhere and used other means to get California out of the red. Yet, Mr. Schwarzenegger is bent on going after services and programs that effect people in the most direct of ways.
He started of by cutting money and services to schools, shortening the school year, and wanting fewer teachers and more children in classrooms. He also cut grants for young people who want the opportunity to further their education.
He made his way to the most important of state employees. Such as firefighters, policemen, and women correction officers, DMV workers etc. Laying off some, cutting the pay off some, and going after their benefits where he could.
Now he is stooping too low, going after the elderly, the disabled and those trying to get on their feet, needing child care, etc. Yet he doesn’t go after politicians who use the people’s money for meals, cars, gas, and receive outrageous salaries. He doesn’t try to trim their services but some do it willingly.
Instead, he says he wants to reform programs of those who need assistance to live and those who need employment to help them. That’s what Hitler did, he did away with the elderly and the disabled. Is California becoming that kind of state?
I don’t know where Mr. Schwarzenegger is originally from, but I don’t believe California and its people are of that caliber.
I only hope Gov. Schwarz-enegger can work and compromise better with the Legislature. So the public servants and the people of California can be better served. He needs to understand he, too, is a public servant, not a dictator.
Steve Sanchez,
Madera
