Budget Cuts, Borrowing No Way to Revive State

Re “Governor’s Vow: ‘The State of Our State Will Soon Be Strong,’ ” Jan. 7: It is an unconscionable proposition that we can revive the basic tenets of civil society -- good and accessible education, quality care and services for the infirm, disabled and elderly -- by eliminating their funding. California will only recover by implementing a strategically oriented plan to generate revenue, alongside cuts that eliminate wasteful spending, as a means for reducing its deficit. Let’s swallow hard and realize that were we to tax services -- we could even just start with luxury services -- we’d probably generate enough revenue annually to cover half of the hole that Schwarzenegger is trying so soullessly to backfill.

Nancy Berglass

Los Angeles

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If I follow our governor’s logic, I should take out several additional mortgages on my home and slash the amount of money I spend on maintenance and care-taking. After a few years, my home will be in fantastic shape, worth more than ever, and my personal finances will be tip-top. Wake up, California!

Jason Stuart

San Diego

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The proposed cuts for public education will be devastating (Jan. 6). Children are not commodities that can sustain a loss in learning one year and expect to fully make it up the next. What guarantee do we have that funds will be available for education in the next fiscal year? Schwarzenegger’s word? He promised during the election campaign that he would not cut education, and here it is.

I recently received my check for “refund of excess fee” for car registration in the amount of $146. I plan to donate this amount to our public schools. I suggest that everyone who receives a refund donate that amount to a public school. Let’s send the message that our children are more important than our vehicles.

Suzanne Prince

Marina del Rey