We Can Blame Gov. Davis for Bad Budget News

Re “Davis Says Tax Hikes Likely as Shortfall Soars,” Dec. 19: How does a state “find” itself in a budget crisis of more than 30,000 million dollars? The amount is so enormous it’s beyond comprehension, and yet everyone seems to just go along with whatever the next number is that Sacramento throws out. But where did this and all the previous deficit figures in the tens of billions come from?

Sure, there are protests against cuts, but that is nothing more than allowing members of the public to think they have some say in this fiasco. Politicians tell us programs must be cut and taxes must be increased. Where did all that money go before? What programs were so fat that they could eat up that kind of money? We can’t be so acquiescent. Show me the numbers!

Diane Toevs

Paso Robles

I am appalled that Gov. Gray Davis says tax hikes are likely as the budget shortfall soars to $34.8 billion. Just a short time ago, California had excess money in the till. Before going to the taxpayers, I feel strongly that Davis needs to first give pink slips to the thousands of new employees he has hired in the last few years. Then he needs to cut the budgets back to 1999 levels. There wouldn’t need to be tax hikes if the governor understood that two plus two doesn’t make nine. Why should the taxpayers bear this overwhelming burden when it was the governor who got us into this mess?

Susan Valerie Weight

Glendale

Former legislator Steve Peace has been named Davis’ finance director (Dec. 19). Peace will always be remembered as the man most responsible for the energy deregulation that led to the massive price-gouging of California consumers. Nice choice, Gov. Davis. No wonder you won reelection by such a convincing margin.

Markel Tumlin

San Diego

The state should file for bankruptcy just as Orange County had to do when it bungled the management of public money. That way the bondholders would share in this debacle and not get a free ride at the taxpayers’ expense. Bonds pay interest, which in essence is a risk premium, which every buyer of bonds knows. A “reorganization” of the debt would save at least $14 billion, half of the shortfall. And charge the top state budget brass with negligence and malfeasance. Let’s for once show these highly paid officials that they cannot grant raises, increase staff and mandate benefits with reckless abandon and impunity but will be held responsible for the management of the taxpayers’ money.

Ivar Schoenmeyr

San Juan Capistrano

Perhaps Davis could make up the difference in the California funding shortfall with a modest contribution from his campaign finance surplus. This, hopefully, would not affect the pay increases of the prison guards.

George R. Sussex

Palos Verdes Estates