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6A – Daily News – Monday, August 23, 2010 Opinion D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Costs must be cut Editor: Public employees seem to have Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. 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How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 no awareness that they must cut pay and benefits to match nonunion civilian employees. The 77 percent higher pay and benefits package for public employees is not sustainable. As we enter the third year of the Oct. 2007 reces- sion start, there is awareness that most of the terminated civilian jobs will not return. Manufacturers are spending capital to increase the technology of their processes to reduce costs, improve quality, and sustain glob- al customer demand. Most have found it is more profitable to invest in technology than in the uncertainty and higher cost of employee wages and benefits, and government mandates. This reduced emphasis on manpower started in the mid 1970s The $20 to $25 union jobs are decreasing as only 7 percent of civilian employees are now unionized ver- sus 34 percent in the 1960s. Most of those terminated, with high school diplomas or nontechnical education will migrate to lower paying jobs with reduced income to support the golden pay and pen- sions of government employees. School boards, city councils, and county superintendents need to reign in the practice of granting inflation adjustments and annual pay raises and benefits exceeding those of civilian employees. They need to reign in the practice of granting early retirement pensions prior to age 65 and continued health insurance subsidies after retirement to match the civilian era of austerity. Reduced sales, income, and property taxes is the new austerity economy. Joseph J. Neff, Corning Response to response Editor: On Aug. 13, Don Perry, wrote a letter that was published in regards to my letter published Aug. 5: “Republican Congress.” He makes sarcastic conclusions that I am “smarter than everyone else,” and that “Conservatives are bad, etc.” Most disturbingly, Perry wrote: “I don’t know how Kristopher landed in Red Bluff but I’m sure he would be happier in the Bay Area where his views are most popular.” Upon my mother reading this last part of the letter, she was extremely upset at Perry’s judg- ment, and insinuations made by this state- ment. Fact is, I didn’t land in Red Bluff. I was born and raised here until I graduated at the top of my class from RBUHS, 1999, with a near- ly full-ride scholarship to Pepper- dine University. Never did I allude that I am “smarter than everyone else, so they must act in our best interest, even though we may not be smart enough to understand.” Nor did I say, “Conservatives are bad, etc.” In fact, I even mentioned two Democrats that I did not agree with but never condemned as bad. When I spoke of congressional politicians and what they are elected to do, which is to work for the people, and how many are not fulfilling their job descriptions and seem to be in it for there own personal or party gains, I never singled out Republicans, but spoke of the U.S Congress in gen- eral. Yes, I am an Obama supporter, of both him and his agenda and policies. But, let us not forget the Your Turn great Republican President, Ronald Reagan, who went through much the same as Obama is expe- riencing now, a dramatic drop in the polls and hes- itance with his policies. In the end, however, as legislation takes time to bear its fruit, Reagan was seen for the great things and changes he pro- vided for America. Patience peo- ple. Look at what Obama took on as president. Unprecedented. Yet, he has already accomplished so much — huge milestones for our country — and all within less than two years of his presidency. All I ask is that as voters, we vote based on non-partisan, un- biased research and not ignorance alone. Perry ends his letter; “Thank- fully we have free thinkers up here.” I agree with him here. Be a free thinker. And remember, an ignorant vote is much worse than any vote at all. I hope Mr. Perry is ready for a new generation of adults who think much like I do, be it pro- gressive, liberal or not. Kristopher Scott, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Schools, Republicans, budgets, oh my Commentary Getting ready to hit the road, I thought I’d first share a few thoughts on recent topics. I’ll also leave a series to help you under- stand the controversy over global warming/climate change laws and regulations in the news through Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32). There’ll be a ballot initiative, Proposition 23, also called "Suspend AB 32" (suspendab32.org), to put off implementation of this job-killing- law driven by green ideology, at least until our economy can afford it. This being a conservative coun- ty, many readers will likely be pre- disposed to vote for Prop 23 as nat- ural skeptics of the agenda, tactics and beliefs of the global warming folks. I’ll do my best to give you some insight into the fascinating story surrounding the climate change/green jobs issue. First thing today, I salute colum- nist Joe Harrop for the time and effort he spent pouring over test results for the entire state, to put our local schools’ performance in per- spective. There is a larger picture of the education of our children that I rarely see mentioned. It has to do with state-to-state, nation-to-nation, and cost-benefit issues for Califor- nia. For instance, did you know that Texas and California can be com- pared? And not to California’s ben- efit, I might add, according to a recent McKinsey study on the achievement gap in schools. Writer Nick Schulz highlighted results: "One thing in the paper jumped out at me: how much better Texas does than California in edu- cating students. Both states have similar demographics (although California has many more Asians). But California has what should be significant advantages – it is much richer ($42,102 per capita GDP to $37,073) and it spends 12 percent more on educating each student than Texas. "Despite this, Texas kids are one to two years (yes, that’s years) of learning ahead of California kids of the same age. And blacks, whites, and Hispanics all do better in school in Texas than they do in Cal- ifornia." Also, would it surprise you to know that immigration has had a less-than-benign effect on our edu- cation system? From another study: "In 1970, California had the 7th most educated work force of the 50 states in terms of the share of its workers who had completed high school. By 2008 it ranked 50th, making it the least educated state." Looked at another way: "There is no indication that California will soon close the educational gap. California ranks 35th in terms of the share of its 19-year-olds who have completed high school." How would knowing how the money you pay for public educa- tion is spent, affect your opinion of the results? Apparently, according to gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, "50 percent of Califor- nia’s spending on education, Grades K through 12, goes into overhead, not classrooms, com- pared with 20 percent in, for exam- ple, Connecticut." Public school budget dollars spent per pupil are notoriously fun- gible and hard to nail down. Public school spokespeople like to focus on the operational elements of a budget, but to be accurate and inclusive, you have to include ben- efits, retiree costs, etc, don’t you? I’ve read that California’s so-called "global budget" for education turns out to be around $15,000 per pupil – isn’t that a bit exor- bitant? Hard verifiable figures, anyone? For the internet folks, if you enter McKinsey.com, and then enter "The eco- nomic impact of the achievement gap in America’s schools" you’ll find my source for the following con- clusions about Ameri- can public education: Of the 30 countries that are the Organiza- tion for Economic Cooperation and De v elopment (OECD), we don’t do so well. America is 24th and 25th in sci- ence and math scores. gress, implementation of Republi- can policies, and an economic boom that coincided with the baby boom. Republicans sup- ported President Kennedy’s tax rate reductions, which resulted in economic growth in the ‘60s. Don Polson The way I see it America spends the absolute most for results in the Programme for International Student Assess- ment tests (PISA) in mathematics. More conclusions: "These educa- tional gaps impose on the United States the economic equivalent of a permanent national recession." And, lest you think there are racial components: "The wide variation in performance among schools serving similar students suggests that these gaps can be closed. Race and poverty are not destiny." And now, an abbreviated, truth- ful narrative of Republicans in Washington, DC: Under President Truman (you may have never learned) resentment and disap- proval of FDR’s policies, carried through by Truman, resulted in a huge Republican victory in Con- The return of Republi- can policies under President Reagan brought about tax cuts, economic growth and increases in employment that nearly doubled income to the federal government; Democrats in Congress reneged on their promise to cut spending, resulting in Reagan-era deficits. Mov- ing to President Clinton’s era, the budget balancing only occurred after Repub- licans took over Congress in 1994. Do you see a pat- tern, yet? Under President George W. Bush, with a Republican Congress, deficits after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, dot-com recession and, don’t forget, 2 wars, were reduced to about $160 billion in the year before Democrats took over Con- gress in 2006. Congress writes the budgets; Bush never signed Repub- lican budgets after 2006. Democ- rats wrote the budgets with $460 billion, and then $1.4 trillion deficits (signed by President Obama). Fiscal irresponsibility is bipartisan, but the primary source of lower-tax, higher growth policies has been on the Republican side. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.