Balance the Budget on State Leaders’ Backs

The first budget cuts the governor and Legislature should make are to their own salaries, perks and staffs. While the act would only be symbolic, it would represent acknowledgment by them that they are the substantial cause of the problem -- as a result of poor management -- and further show the public that they will share in the coming pain. Unfortunately, we know that this won’t happen.

Steven Gluck

Van Nuys

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Let Gov. Gray Davis start cutting expenses by paroling all prisoners convicted on marijuana charges. He could then lay off a lot of unneeded prison guards who make more money than schoolteachers. If he wants to convince us of the seriousness of the budget shortfall, he needs to be seen taking serious action.

Jean Dorsa

Woodland Hills

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California is facing a terrible budget crunch, and poor families and students of all ages are going to take it on the chin. When we go looking for sources of tax revenue, what about the giant gobs of money in the marijuana trade? So far only the police departments and the prison unions are able to benefit financially from California’s biggest cash crop, yet they do this at taxpayer expense.

The marijuana trade in California is more than big enough to pay for the social costs of marijuana abuse and for the shortfalls in the rest of our state budget. Why are we letting this vast source of revenue go untaxed?

Patricia Schwarz

Pasadena