Governor’s Budget Cuts May Be a Slice of Trouble

Re “ ‘Broken System’ Budget Unveiled,” Jan. 11: Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected California governor in large part due to his accurate assessment that the state spent far too much and provided unaffordable, lavish benefits to a host of special interest groups.

Why, then, is the governor proposing a budget that increases spending in excess of the rate of inflation and proposes to borrow billions of dollars to keep expenditures at unsustainable, taxpayer-unfriendly levels? If the state was spending too much when he assumed office, why did he not, at the very least, freeze state spending and the budget?

Oren M. Spiegler

Upper Saint Clair, Pa.

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I want to convey my utmost support for the governor’s attempt to bring some fiscal discipline to California government that I believe was lost during Gray Davis era.

I believe the state government generates more revenue than it really needs to support various important initiatives and responsibilities. However, as any good businessperson must do, California needs to manage its resources and resist the temptation to give in to the special interests that most often have self-interest in mind. I know I would be dead or homeless if I ran my business and personal life as the California government does.

Steve Balalian

Northridge

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California’s biggest problem: How do we build a ladder tall enough to reach Schwarzenegger’s ego? Then maybe we can reach him and ask why the people who do not have lobbyists get the most drastic budget cuts.

Louis D. Mann

Los Angeles