Governor blamed for budget woes

Re “Deep cuts, closures across the state at heart of budget plan,” Jan. 10

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger again amazes me with his lack of ability. He has sold out our children’s future with an initiative that bought him and the state little time, wasted precious state money on a useless special election, perennially tries to make deals with Indian tribes to get what he terms “billions of dollars for California” when they really give away too much, and now he wants another deal to help bail him out while cutting needed programs.

Schwarzenegger has had years to cut government and bring in new business to California. Instead, he and his staff fly on special interest money (yes, friends and associates are special interest too). He helped terminate Gray Davis for much less.

Now all I can say is, recall Arnold.

Steve Shor

Hermosa Beach

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It would be nice if the governor looked at alternatives to adding a fee to property owners’ insurance. After all, property owners are not driving up costs for health, road building, prisons and schools. Fast-food restaurants increase health costs, so why not put an extra fee on them? Raise alcohol and tobacco taxes too. Undocumented immigrants increase costs, so why not be more aggressive in penalizing businesses and individuals who employ them? Perhaps prison costs could be completely paid for by prison industries.

Every day that the governor and legislators do the work of businesses dealing with fast food, tobacco, alcohol, undocumented workers and those who oppose prison industries, things will remain out of balance.

Stephen V. Hymowitz

Los Angeles

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What will be the response of California’s Democratic Legislature to Schwarzenegger’s plan to cut spending? Do you hear the war drums? The ones beating them are huge public employee unions, entrenched in our state, and the lemmings in the Legislature will no doubt respond. They will again try to vilify the governor. Firefighters, police officers and prison guards will spend millions telling us how heartless he is. Years ago, they deployed these same tactics and won, and that got us where we are today.

Roderick Ferroggiaro

Palo Alto

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Schwarzenegger’s budget would hurt many groups, specifically the poor, elderly and HIV/AIDS patients.

Doesn’t he realize that these are the people who can least afford another cut? This is the problem with a multimillionaire being the head of a state government. He would rather reduce funding to the needy than raise taxes on the wealthy, which includes him, his family and his friends.

This way of governing is mean, sad and criminal.

Joe Jeffries

Westlake Village

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Hey, wait a minute. I thought all we had to do was get rid of Davis, give Schwarzenegger a chance, get rid of the vehicle registration fee increase and everything would be fine. What gives?

Peter Davison

Santa Monica

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When the time comes, I hope the governor shuts down every state park and office in the districts of legislators who refuse to vote for a tax increase.

He should give them the “less government” they are always asking for.

Rich Varenchik

Santa Clarita