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Three: Making California's State Budget More User-Friendly and Transparent: Further Thoughts
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Hirsch, Werner Zvi Mitchell, Daniel |
| Copyright Year | 2002 |
| Abstract | MAKING CALIFORNIA'S STATE BUDGET MORE USER-FRIENDLY AND TRANSPARENT: FURTHER THOUGHTS Werner Z. Hirsch, UCLA Professor Emeritus Daniel J.B. Mitchell, Ho-su Wu Professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management & Department of Policy Studies, School of Public Policy and Social Research “When a State borrows money to construct some great and permanent improvement, and leaves future generations to pay the debt, she also leaves them the work itself, as some sort of compensation. The violation of principle consists in the PRESENT generation assuming to act for and to bind the next without their consent. But the case is still worse, when a State borrows money to defray the ordinary expenses of her civil administration; because she bequeaths a debt to posterity, without any means to pay it.” Governor Peter Burnett, December 20, 1849 “When I previously proposed to the Legislature that we should set something aside for unforeseen needs, some people said I was taking a defeatist attitude—that I should be thinking in terms of prosperity and not depression — but I am still of the opinion that it is no more defeatist for a State to provide for a possible rainy day than it is for an individual to do so. I am as optimistic as anyone about the economic future of our State, but I think it is elementary prudence to establish a rainy day fund.” Governor Earl Warren, January 6, 1947 “I will recommend an economy-minded budget, and a courageous and fair program to obtain new revenues. I pledge, however, that we will not sacrifice essential services or narrow our vision for California.” Governor Edmund G. Pat Brown, January 5, 1959 “For months, some have suggested that the only way out of this difficult situation is to raise taxes. Yet, repeatedly over the past few years, the voters have expressed the strongest of sentiments that the government already collects too many taxes. Therefore, because I believe our first obligation is to listen to the people, we must make every effort to restore fiscal responsibility without a net tax increase. This requires us to establish strong basic priorities.” Governor George Deukmejian, January 3, 1983 Wrestling with fiscal problems is not a new activity for California governors, legislators, and other state officials. 1 Depending on ideology, economic circumstances, and voter preferences, state policy toward taxation and spending has varied. In some administrations, policy has tilted toward government activism and public works; in others, limited government and frugality as an end in itself have been touted. Even most conservatives today would not go along with the sentiments of California’s first governor, cited above, that any borrowing – even for major projects – was to be avoided. Nonetheless, whatever the prevailing political and ideological sentiments, state budgets are a reflection of, and guide to, state policy. They are more than just bland accounts and bookkeeping. |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://cloudfront.escholarship.org/dist/prd/content/qt06p6c3n3/qt06p6c3n3.pdf?t=krny5r |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
