Report proposes Calif. gov't overhaul (Loss of 12K jobs & 100's of boards)

[Khephra]

Report proposes Calif. gov't overhaul

By JIM WASSERMAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A plan to reorganize state government proposes eliminating 12,000 state jobs and hundreds of state boards and commissions for a possible savings of $32 billion over the next five years.

Details in the 2,500-page report obtained Friday by The Associated Press also include contracting out government work to private contractors and requiring college and university students to perform community service.

The report by the California Performance Review Board would mark the biggest reorganization since the 1960s in a state that has fallen deeper into debt to maintain services. The report is scheduled to be released Tuesday.

If approved by the Legislature, it would change everything from how soon children can enter kindergarten to greatly increasing the amount Californians could win in pooled lotteries with other states.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=California%20Overhaul

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. As much as I can't stand Schwartzennegger

some of these boards meet 4 times a year for a couple hours at a time and the salaries for serving on them are ridiculous (as in the 6 figure range) A few years back, California Lawyer magazine did a story called "Nice Work if You Can Get It" detailing the lack of results from many of these boards, the lack of any actual decision making, and the fact that many of these positions are simply cushy paybacks for both parties to hand off dough to their contributors....of course, I would only concur on a CASE BY CASE basis.

[kikiek]

2. I am always suspicious when they privatize public jobs claiming

they can be done for less. Seems to just line the pockets those in power are indebted to. Bush is sure proving that.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. I agree completely...some positions however, produce nothing

and cost millions..they are simply slush funds used to do a quid pro quo by both parties with NO results.

[shanti]

7. exactly

i remember the director of industrial relations ron rinaldi back in the early 90's after deukmejian left office. he was appointed to a board. it happens to many appointees.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. Ron Rinaldi was an asshole as DIR...he basically MADE SURE

the system didn't work as Deukmejian tried to cram what Arnold just got through down our throats.

[Newsjock]

3. "Requiring community service"?!?!

I'm absolutely speechless.

What the hell planet is he on? No, don't answer that.

[Khephra]

5. Kerry's suggested a similar scheme

Not that I approve of the idea on either party's part. Most college students have to work as well as go to school these days. I know people who were going to community colleges but, because of work, had only about 5 hours of sleep a night. I can't imagine this being moved forward anywhere and not costing us in graduations.

[TahitiNut]

6. It's called Busting AFSCME ... and lining the pockets of profiteers.

"Privatized" jobs have no pension plans, poor health insurance, "fire at will," lower pay, far more waste, and no job training. They can "budget" for savings only due to the fact that they get rid of the more senior workers and many of them, without other near-term options, take the lower paying job with the privateer.

That lasts for a couple of years and then the quality of the work drops through the floor as the people experienced from their employment with the state go elsewhere.

This is another Rethuglican Trojan Horseshit -- a Gingrichian Monster. And they're doing the typical "hit and run" early with a 10-ton truck of legislation -- loading the shit out of it and hyping it to short-circuit any kind of responsible consideration of the downsides.

It's BULLSHIT.

Don't get me wrong. Most of my career has been with corporations in the private sector. I often have very little love lost for many government employees. But it is very evident to me that government employees in public contact positions are about 5 times more likely to be understaffed than adequately or overstaffed. I don't know how some of these people keep their sanity - like in the unemployment offices!

[tlcandie]

8. TN, is this a trial run for the * regime?

I didn't have the same reaction as most here. I am in shock. Yes, we need overhauls within our government, BUT you HAVE to suspect something in the current if this comes from the Gropenator!

Almost sounds like throwing out the baby with the bath water in an attempt to drown the government which is what many have quoted the rethugs want to do with our country.

Possibly sounds good, BUT I doubt it would equal good for the normal Joe Blow in the end.

[TahitiNut]

10. I wouldn't call a 6.3% workforce reduction a "trial run" ...

... when it comes to the world's 5th largest economy: California.

There're about 190,000 fulltime employees of the State of California, and that includes the State University system, about 10,000 Highway Patrol officers, 53 State Corrections facilities (>45,000 FT employees), 16 Developmental Services and Mental Health facilities (>15,000 employees), the Employment Development Department (>8,000 employees), and the California Youth Authority the runs 15 facilities with less than 4,000 employees.

I foresee the privatization of prisons and cutback of short-handed services.

[shanti]

11. but did you expect anything different

when the gropenator brought in that woman from florida to "help" us poor californians out? :grr: they are planning to do to us what was done to both texas and florida...if we let them!

[happynewyear]

12. you are right

the gropenazi can go Cheney himself! Oh how he sickens me so!

I hope those girlie/men fight this SOB like hell on these ideas!

NO MORE UNION BUSTING!

UNION YES! LABOR YES!

U.S. OUT OF IRAQ NOW!!!!

:dem: :kick: