As 2009 comes to a close, let’s have a fun look back on what the state legislature and Governor Schwarzenegger did to fix the state’s never-ending spending, uh, budget problem.

• February: everyone’s state income tax increased by 0.25%.
• February: the vehicle license fee doubled to 1.15% and the credit for dependents was slashed by two-thirds.
• April: the state sales tax increased a full 1.0% to 8.25%, the highest of any state.
• October: the state begins withholding an additional 10% from everyone’s paycheck but promises to pay it back come April. You may rightfully ask, with what money?
• November: tuition at state universities increase by 32%.
• December: still time for another tax increase!

Yet problems persist. The Legislative Budget Analyst reported last month that the budget deficit going into next fiscal year stands at $21 Billion. Apparently thinking them unimportant the legislature drastically cut the budgets of the park and court systems. And the state’s unemployment fund is $7.4 Billion in the hole. So, keep this date in mind:

• November, 2010: the next opportunity to halt the destruction of our state by voting for politicians who are fiscally conservative.

That, by the way, would disqualify almost all incumbents.

John Redding
Mendocino