California Budgeting
Have you ever taken the time to observe the budgeting process of government? I will bet that most Americans shake their head at the thought of listening to a bunch of politicians squabble over money.
The fed system is an arcane piecemeal system that provides only one assurance; more money will be spent this year than last. There is absolutely no fiscal responsibility!
We are all aware that the State of California has budget problems. Gov Schwarzenegger was elected because he said that he could fix the system. The system is not fixed; not even close.
Daniel Weintraub, Sacramento Bee Columnist pens an opinion today entitled “Stop the budgeting insanity”. His basic premise is that multi-year budgeting would be a valuable tool for the State. He is right in theory but wrong in its practical application.
AB 518, introduced by Contra Costa Assembly Member Canciamilla, is a simple bill. The Bill requires that “the Director of Finance shall provide to the Legislature a report that includes separate annual estimates of each of the following for five consecutive fiscal years:
(1) General Fund revenues.
(2) General Fund expenditures, in aggregate and by department.
(3) Personnel years supported by General Fund expenditures, in aggregate and by department.”
Yikes, a 5-year projection? Only in government do we find this concept to be unreasonable. Somehow the politicians think that once the 5-year projections are made they are then set in concrete. In Lassen County we have a Supervisor who has a problem with a one year budget; 5-years would possibly send him to the men in white coats.
Weintraub states, “This is more than just a debate among the bean counters in the bowels of the government bureaucracy. California's habit of lurching from one budget year to the next has rippled through all levels of government, from counties and cities to schools and fire districts, hampering planning, investment and the provision of public services. If the state government doesn't know where it's going, the state's residents inevitably get caught in the whiplash.” Weintraub’s position has merit but such financial projections do not bind the Legislature to follow the projections, nor should it.
Government watch-dogs would like to see this type of budgeting. It would provide the public with a clear understanding of any shift in revenues and be informative about the smoke and mirrors of how those revenues are spent.
AB 518 makes sense but really bringing sanity to the budget process requires much more. We still have to deal with the Legislature and their heavily funded special interest groups. They are the ultimate culprits in California’s financial mess. If Assemblyman Keith Richman is correct, what we see now is only the tip of the financial woes iceberg.
Proposition 76 will not solve this problem nor will Proposition 77. It will be up to the citizens to say enough is enough.
The fed system is an arcane piecemeal system that provides only one assurance; more money will be spent this year than last. There is absolutely no fiscal responsibility!
We are all aware that the State of California has budget problems. Gov Schwarzenegger was elected because he said that he could fix the system. The system is not fixed; not even close.
Daniel Weintraub, Sacramento Bee Columnist pens an opinion today entitled “Stop the budgeting insanity”. His basic premise is that multi-year budgeting would be a valuable tool for the State. He is right in theory but wrong in its practical application.
AB 518, introduced by Contra Costa Assembly Member Canciamilla, is a simple bill. The Bill requires that “the Director of Finance shall provide to the Legislature a report that includes separate annual estimates of each of the following for five consecutive fiscal years:
(1) General Fund revenues.
(2) General Fund expenditures, in aggregate and by department.
(3) Personnel years supported by General Fund expenditures, in aggregate and by department.”
Yikes, a 5-year projection? Only in government do we find this concept to be unreasonable. Somehow the politicians think that once the 5-year projections are made they are then set in concrete. In Lassen County we have a Supervisor who has a problem with a one year budget; 5-years would possibly send him to the men in white coats.
Weintraub states, “This is more than just a debate among the bean counters in the bowels of the government bureaucracy. California's habit of lurching from one budget year to the next has rippled through all levels of government, from counties and cities to schools and fire districts, hampering planning, investment and the provision of public services. If the state government doesn't know where it's going, the state's residents inevitably get caught in the whiplash.” Weintraub’s position has merit but such financial projections do not bind the Legislature to follow the projections, nor should it.
Government watch-dogs would like to see this type of budgeting. It would provide the public with a clear understanding of any shift in revenues and be informative about the smoke and mirrors of how those revenues are spent.
AB 518 makes sense but really bringing sanity to the budget process requires much more. We still have to deal with the Legislature and their heavily funded special interest groups. They are the ultimate culprits in California’s financial mess. If Assemblyman Keith Richman is correct, what we see now is only the tip of the financial woes iceberg.
Proposition 76 will not solve this problem nor will Proposition 77. It will be up to the citizens to say enough is enough.
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