Charley...
You and I have similar personal experience ... and so does almost everyone.
Our pension plans investment have decreased asset value and decrease income.
Our homes have diminished in their property values.
Many of us have lost our jobs ... the current jobless rate is 10%.
Our government's (I am focused on the L.A. City) Budget shows a severe deficit requiring
either increased taxes and fees or decreased expenses and services...or both.
That is why all of us, including our government electeds and employees have to work together to reestablish a stable and growing economy, again.
Dan
--- On Mon, 2/23/09, Charley Mims <
cmmims@pacbell.net> wrote:
From: Charley Mims <
cmmims@pacbell.net>
Subject: Re: CITY BUDGET - PROBLEM SOLUTIONS #2
To:
dwisemanmd@yahoo.com Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 8:15 PM
PS: It is always good to hear from you too. I hope you have not been turned upside down by the markets slide. I am afraid that my IRA has gone from several hundred thousand dollars down to less than sixty thousand. Do well and prosper.
----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel Wiseman
To: Charley Mims
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 7:16 PM
Subject: CITY BUDGET - PROBLEM SOLUTIONS #2
Charley...
As always ... it's good to hear from you.
It sounds like I am hearing your wallet talking, this time.
Governor Arnold doesn't need his salary...and already is not taking his salary (before the statewide financial "crisis."
The current State Budget and associated proposals are going to increase our expenses, maybe as much as 10%, anyway.
The BIG problem(s) are...
1. Almost everyone in the PRIVATE SECTOR IS seeing a decrease in their incomes...and,
traditionally, it is the "civil service" types whose income is secure.
2. The poorest and most unfortunate of us are loosing our jobs and my idea is an attempt
to see that those more vulnerable people amongst out City Government employees do
NOT lose their jobs and we (the Public) do not lose the benefit of their services.
3. Our top income City Employees, including all 18 "electeds," 11,000 in total who have
$ 90,000 annual incomes, can sustain themselves with a 10% decrease. Many of the
people proposed for downsizing would then increase the public's expenses because
they will go on the welfare roles.
4. A 10% decrease of this 11,000 could reduce our deficit by $ 150 million and that would
save thousands of jobs and retain lots of service.
so.... we are ALL in a mess... we should look to the city origins of the city's problems... and., therefore, ... we should protect the city's services.
Daniel Wiseman
--- On Mon, 2/23/09, Charley Mims <
cmmims@pacbell.net> wrote:
From: Charley Mims <
cmmims@pacbell.net>
Subject: Re: CITY BUDGET - PROBLEM SOLUTIONS
To:
dwisemanmd@yahoo.com Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 5:22 PM
Dear Dan,
Your proposal makes as much sense as our Governator forgoing his state salary, then asking legislators to forgo their salaries. Since Arnold has hundreds of millions of dollars and flies back and forth each day to Sacramento, it really has no impact on his life style. It would make more sense for Arnold to propose a 100% tax on elected officials salaries both outside and government until the State has a budget. That way Arnold could also participate in a more meaningful way.
Regarding your proposal to cut City employees salaries by 10%--what a great idea! Now to be really consistent let's expand your concept to include the income of all Californians. If all of us had a 10% special tax imposed on our gross income for the duration to this economic downturn, we could all have the pleasure of contributing. How much would 10% of your gross income help your fellow Californians in getting through this mess?
Charley Mims
----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel Wiseman
To: DANIEL WISEMAN
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 3:32 PM
Subject: Fw: CITY BUDGET - PROBLEM SOLUTIONS
Dear NC President:
Please let your NC Stakeholders know about this opportunity.
Ask them to send their opinions and suggestions to AL and me.
That way we can take YOUR opinions to the MAYOR.
Thank you,
Daniel Wiseman
818-635-4033
P.S. If you are NOT your NC's President at present ... tell me who is so the next message
will go to that person.
Who is your NC's Treasurer?, Budget Representative?
Thanks, again,
DW
============
====================================
Well folks...
This excerpt from Rick Orlov's Daily News column, today, shows that Dennis Zine is really on the ball:
__________________________________________________________
Zine takes lead on pay cut for the City Council
Rick Orlov, Columnist
Updated: 02/23/2009 05:30:45 AM PST
City Councilman Dennis Zine has asked for a 10 percent cut to his $149,159-a-year salary - with the money to be returned to the city's general fund - and may ask the 14 other council members to do the same.
"I think it would be an important gesture to show the public we are aware of how they're hurting and that we are sharing the pain," said Zine, a retired LAPD sergeant.
Needless to say, the proposal hasn't garnered much love toward Zine, who said one colleague visibly blanched at the prospect of a $14,000 pay cut. (NOTE: I bet that was Mr. Alarcon. Zine countered, ...) "He was in a different position than me," Zine said. "He's married with kids still at home. I'm single and also get my police pension."
Talk about mixed messages
__________________________________________________________
...now, let's think about it.
1. Who passed the legislation and administered our programs which costs and future income spiral out of control ... leaving us with a $ 430 million deficit? SHOULDN'T THEY BE PART OF THE "PAY BACK?"
2. How much will 15 x $ 14,000 = $ 200,000 buy? 2 more policement? 2 more firemen? one refurbished swimming pool? DON'T WE NEED EVERY PENNY WE CAN MUSTER?
3. Most of the City Councilmembers have additional income ... like Mr. Zine from former employers (police department, State Assembly, etc.) ... and I can only hope that those with children to raise and college tuitions to pay have been saving for those expenses already.
4. How about the rest (approximately 11,000) of our City employees (elected and appointed) who make over $9,000? A 10% decrease in their base salaries would produce $ about $ 150million. That would help us save the jobs of and continue the services produced by lower-paid employees, the ones who DO the construction work, FILL out the forms, COLLECT the taxes, PROTECT & SERVE and FILE the files.
The NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL's BUDGET PROCESS is now in high gear.
What are YOUR ideas to help meet our city's responsibilities and, at the same time, not overspend our estimated income? The attached has some of mine.
Daniel Wiseman
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