Bill Lockyer's Opposition To Furloughs Perpetuates The Political Gridlock
The State Treasurer Bill Lockyer refused to enact Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Directive requiring the furlough of government employees twice monthly starting this February. He described his reasons for refusing to follow the Governor’s directive in a letter, where he describes both his belief that the Governor has no authority to request this from public employees and that cutting employee hours isn’t beneficial to the Department of the Treasury. By refusing to enact the Governor’s executive order, Lockyer is contributing to the political gridlock that many argue is the root cause of the budget solution delay.
View the letter sent to the Governor’s Office by the State Treasurer
From the Letter:
Based on our legal review, we believe that the Governor has not established that he has the legal authority to impose furloughs and the related salary cuts on state employees.
Bill Lockyer, as the State Treasurer, needs to set the example for the other constitutional officers and administrators in Sacramento. According to the Governor, every day we continue to use the same budget — which includes paying the same number of employees the same amount of money– the State loses $40 million dollars. The furloughs being ordered by Schwarzenegger are an effort to reduce that amount. California’s administrative infrastructure has outgrown its revenue sources and those must be put back in line.
Bill Lockyer’s office provides valuable advise to state legislators on the development of budget strategy. The key word there is advise. When push comes to shove, ultimate authority and responsibility for budget decisions lie with the Legislature and the Governor. Bill Lockyer is an administrator whose responsibility is to enact the decisions of the Governor and Legislature.
Actions like Lockyer’s give great merit to the notion of not electing executive officers except for the Governor. Having the Executive Cabinet of the State appointed by the Governor ensures that the Governor has the support of his cabinet. One might compare this model to the way our Federal Government picks it’s Executive Officers. The voters elect one officer, the President, and that officer chooses all other officers on the executive team. If someone cannot or will not follow the directives of the President, they are removed or they resign. Such was the case of Colin Powell and President Bush.
This call for change to the structure of California’s government doesn’t help the state in it’s current budget predicament, but it provides food for thought. Lockyer needs to consider the big picture of the State, and whether he wants to be part of the solution to the budget, or another politician that is part of the problem.
I tip my hat to Bill Lockyer. This is exactly why the governor isn’t the only one with power. So when the governor attempts to enact injustices like what he’s been trying to do as of late, other officers can say, No! I don’t think so.
Arnold is a blooming idiot, And thank God for elected officials like John Chaing and Bill Lockyer who stand up to the idiot and refuse his faulty orders.
California’s current governor, has no idea what the hell he is doing in the governors chair, he has screwed up the financial aspect of the state with his mismanagement of the money, and whenever he does that, he thinks it ok to balance the states budget on the backs of the state workers.
Yes, Arnold! you need to stop the bleeding, but we are not you’re personal box of band aids! About 14 more months of this moron, and we can get a real governor in there!