Capitol Hill Blue Forums Hot Topics & Breaking News News Schwarzenegger Orders Min Wage For State Workers

Schwarzenegger Orders Min Wage For State Workers From the article: Gosh, I wouldn't want to be dealing with any Dept. of Motor Vehicle employee today.

I wonder if this includes all of their legislators and even the Governor himself?

Unlike many Americans who live from hand to mouth, or perhaps more clearly; from paycheck to paycheck, most US state lawmakers and governors could probably survive for quite some time without a weekly or semiweekly influx of cash. The governor's order will, of course, punish those who have the least say in the workings of government and those whose need is greatest. Somewhat typical in the workings of governments.

Unlikely. From what I've read, Governor Schwarzenegger, besides being a former movie actor, is a real estate tycoon. He's quite intelligent, and it shows you that America had been the land of opportunity for talented people, which pissed off some other people. I'd like to see Congress subject to the same laws, pension, and health care that the rest of Americans receive. I suspect that their votes may change.

But should we interpret this move as punishment to the state workers or should we interpret it as the Governor's last ditch attempt to break the decades old gridlock that is a fixture in California state politics?

Prop 13 has locked property taxes to ONE PERCENT of the cash value of real property and locked annual increases in the rate to two percent and bars reassessment except upon sale or new construction.

But the PEOPLE of the state of California continue to expect Pre-Jarvis services, and this conflict, which looks for all the world like kids who don't want to go to the dentist, locks ANY governor or legislator into a very narrow box from which to run the joint.

Governor Schwarzeneggar might simply be saying that "vee haff come to a point vere it ees necessary to set zee value of state jobs at a level vich can be suppoarddit by only zee incomink revenue und it ees time zat vee settle in to a taste of reality rather zan continually borrowink, vich vee can no longer do."

There's a very good chance that the state workers might descend upon Sacra-Tomato and demand that changes be made to Prop 13, which has been an electrified third rail for the last thirty-two years.
And either change will come, or there will be massive strikes, labor slowdowns, stoppages and SABOTAGE.

I can guarantee you one thing, I don't want to be in LA when the next big quake strikes, not only because of the danger, but also because a state that runs on minimum wage in the face of a disaster of that proportion will turn into a very violent place no matter where you live, no matter if your neighborhood was affected directly or not.

NOTHING will be repaired. California will have to get used to near zero infrastructure, near zero services, near zero everything, AND a whole lotta rubble.

I lived through the 94 Northridge Quake, when the state was still sporting a good credit rating.
I lost EVERYTHING, insurance found a loophole big enough to drive a truck through and inspectors got paid off to re-certify an apartment building which had every reason to be torn down.
The repairs which were made were and still are a ticking time bomb.
I can't begin to imagine what it would be like with a junk credit rating and worse yet, my family still owns property there.
It will be worthless, even though it's in Brentwood.

Prop 13 was a bold move to limit state taking, but perhaps it was TOO BOLD and TOO MUCH.

Either we live in austerity or we raise taxes to support what we expect from the system. You can't have it both ways.

Another shitty day in Paradise.

My wife and I benefit greatly from Prop 13, (as long-time owners of two California rental properties), but even we can see the damage it has done. I always enjoy the new gubernetorial candidates claims that they will do X, Y, and Z if elected, when the reality is that state obligations by law and by court order effectively consume the entire budget. California's governor is left only with "Hail Mary plays" like not paying state employees (or in this case paying them minimum wage) just until a court rules that is illegal.

Part of the problem is the Initiative Process: Anybody with a little money or dedicated followers can get something on the ballot, and that can amend the state constitution with only a simple majority of votes cast.

Checkers, the worst part of Prop 13 was not the freezing of taxes, although freezing them on commercial property as well as homes makes no sense, but the thing that has made budgets impossible is the requirement that it pass by 2/3 majority.

That means, for practical terms, that no budget can pass without at least one Republican vote. The GOP has been very disciplined and will not vote for any budget with a "tax increase", including one that would remove a tax exemption.

Currently, California is the only oil producing state that does not tax on the wellhead. The GOP argues higher taxes would send business to other states. Well you just can't move oil wells now, can you?

BTW. the California Appeals Court approved the governor's move.

Hi all,

I'm a "state worker" in Florida. Please let's not ever confuse state workers with lawmakers. The average state worker in Florida makes, I think, about &30,000. I feel sorry for my fellow bureaucrats in California, who are now going to have to figure out how to pay their bills and buy their groceries.

EmmaG

Just as one example, take the case of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute. I worked there as a technician for about a year back in 1985 (I think it was 1985) installing video surveillance and videoconferencing equipment. I STARTED OUT as just a plain old maintenance worker, which meant I was employed by UCLA but when I got the techie job that made me a state worker by some wierd stroke of machinery.
I never actually understood why installing video equipment made it a state job, but anyway...my job was exceedingly dangerous because it often put me on ward floors where hospital mental patients were housed.
It just so happened that once in a while a patient happened to wander into an area where I was working, stringing cable or installing video decks, or hooking up cameras.
I had a tool cart, which instantly became a treasure trove of weapons. I never got injured but several attempts were made by patients to attack me, and I learned that one worker suffered a near fatal stabbing the year before.
The folks who took care of the security at UCLA NPI were also state workers.
Now, imagine if THEY are getting minimum wage.

Yeah! Booooooo on democracy!
Yours,
Issodhos