By Steve Thompson, Chairman of the Butte County Republican Party
You’ve got to love government agencies. We’re constantly being told that we all need to pay more taxes to keep our government running, because, they just don’t get enough of our money. And then those agencies go and prove, over and over, how inefficient they are at managing our money.
But don’t worry, our democrat Governor Jerry Brown is a penny pincher. He has to be because he and his devoted followers said so, and he took away some cell phones from state employees, saving millions in a state that is billions in the hole. Just don’t ask him for anything resembling pension reforms or a spending cap on state government. He told Republicans those were off the table.
So here comes Caltrans, one of our beloved state agencies putting our tax dollars to wise use. They can accomplish in years what private construction firms can build in weeks. It seems in the following article that they’ve gotten into the property management business. But they don’t seem to be too good at it.
You can read all about their property management skills in this article.
If you read this and still want higher taxes I have some dillapidated bridges to sell you.
“They can accomplish in years what private construction firms can build in weeks.”
Steve, Caltrans doesn’t build anything. Caltrans decides what should be built, often designs it (but sometimes contracts to architects, etc.), and then hires private contractors to build it with our money.
We are waiting very patiently down here for our new bridge, and the only hold up I know about is repeated Republican obstructions of funding … monies WE raise with OUR bridge toll payments … and you Repugs got a lot of nerve.
I read that article a couple a days back and couldn’t believe it…but then I realized it makes sense in the backa**ward world of “other peoples money”.
These properties were purchased so that freeways could be constructed…but they never got built. I imagine there are a lot of construction projects that have been put on permanent hold for “lack of funding. And why, you may ask, is there a lack of funding”.
Caltrans has always had it’s own source of funds. The gas taxes we pay and the bridge taxes we pay are supposed to be allocated to road and bridge construction and maintenance only. So where has that money gone? I suspect into the general fund.
Libby you can whine and bitch all you want about Republicans but Democrats have been in the majority for a long, long time. They decide what will be funded and by what means. They continue to act as if we taxpayers are their own personal piggy banks to shake out whenever they find themselves in a fiscal bind. They always go for INCREASES in government and they hammer, cajol, threaten, and blackmail until they get their way. What they can’t accomplish with arm twisting they take to the courts.
Democrats like the big bloated bureaucracy, the big perks for government employees, lots of folk on the dole, and massive spending for pet projects. When crunch time comes along (Oh sh*t, you mean we have to balance the budget) they go on TV and radio with sob stories about cutting education, fire and police because mean Republicans won’t raise taxes. What complete and utter nonesense!
Republicans are not the big spenders. Republicans are not the ones stealing funds from Caltrans to pay for under-funded pensions for over-paid government employees. Republicans aren’t the ones suing because healthcare for prisoners is inadequate (which is patently absurd)!
It’s time to hold Democrats accountable. they have pushed their agenda and had their way in California for decades and their polices have done nothing but led to bancruptcies, job losses, foreclosures, unsustanable programs, lousy infrastructure, and personal ruin for a whole lot of people.
Re Libby’s: “Steve, Caltrans doesn’t build anything.”
What utter nonsense.
Not only does CalTrans have enormous crews and operations that do the physical work of building they do the engineering, work flow charting, decision making, surveying, ad infinitum which is as much building as someone operating a shovel or a hammer.
In 2007 California passed into law Proposition 35 which repealed laws that had allowed California to turn to contractors only when qualified state employees were unavailable or private companies could save the state money. A challenge to this law by state employee unions was rejected by the State Supreme Court in a unanimous ruling.
As a result, today CalTrans may hire out to do the duties of building but they still oversee operations which they are, ultimately, responsible for.
Also as a result of Propsition 35 California counties often opt out of going to CalTrans for building in favor of contracting private firms because to do so means the work is accomplished faster and in a much more economical manner.
Libby, you seriously meed to get a clue. Given the steady stream of silly comments you make in this forum and their ever angry tenor you seem to be on a mission to make make yourself look like a complete idiot. Give it a rest before someone hands you a shovel (or a flow chart) to help you along.
Mr. Thompson is absolutely correct when he argues that “They [private firms] can accomplish in years what private construction firms can build in weeks.” There is a mountain of evidence supporting this contention.
Ooops. The above should have read “In 2000 California passed into law Proposition 35 …”
In 2007 the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 35 again after earlier challenges had also failed. The labor unions (notably the SEUI) in this state have oodles of suit money and well heeled, fat cat lawyers to back up the hob nailed fat cat union bosses. Heck, California labor unions are more financially solvent than the state!
Too bad they can’t buy judges as easily as they buy politicians.
Sorry about that kids. I am sure some will forgive me for being a bit sloppy with the date thing.
“As a result, today CalTrans may hire out to do the duties of building but they still oversee operations which they are, ultimately, responsible for.”
Isn’t that what I said?