Billionaires Endorse Initiative to Raise California Taxes For Schools, Universities

UC Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau supports additional increases intuition for 2012-13.

University of California Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau hijack’sour kids’ futures. I love Universityof California (UC) having been a student & lecturer. But today I amconcerned that at times I do not recognize the UC I love. Like so many I amdeeply disappointed by the pervasive failures of Regent Chairwoman Lansing,President Yudof, Chancellor Birgeneau from holding the line on rising costs& tuition increases

Chancellor Birgeneauhas molded Cal.into the most expensive public university. Paying more is not a bettereducation.

Californians arereeling from 19% unemployment (includes: those forced to work part time; thoseno longer searching), mortgage defaults, loss of unemployment benefits. And thosewho still have jobs are working longer for less. Facultywages must reflect California'sability to pay, not what others are paid.

Current pay increasesfor generously paid University of California Faculty isarrogance. Instate tuition consumes 14% of Ca. Median Family Income!

Paying more is not abetter education. UC Berkeley(# 70 Forbes) tuition increases exceed thenational average rate of increases.

UC President Yudof, Cal.Chancellor Birgeneau($450,000 salary) dismissed many much needed cost-cuttingoptions. They did not consider freezing vacant faculty positions, increasingclass size, requiring faculty to teach more classes, doubling the time betweensabbaticals, cutting & freezing pay & benefits for chancellors &reforming pensions & the health benefits.

They said suchfaculty reforms “would not be healthy for UC”. Exodus of faculty,administrators? Who can afford them and where would they go?

We agree it is farfrom the ideal situation, but it is in the best interests of the universitysystem & the state to stop cost increases. UC cannot expect to do businessas usual: raising tuition; granting pay raises & huge bonuses during a weakeconomy that has sapped state revenues & individual Californians’ income.

There is noquestion the necessary realignments with economic reality are painful. Regent Chairwoman Lansing can bridge the public trustgap with reassurances that salaries & costs reflect California’s ability to pay. The sky above UC will not fall when Chancellor Birgeneau is ousted.

Opinions? Email the UC Boardof Regents  marsha.kelman@ucop.edu

I have a great idea! 

Why don't we implement a California lottery where the proceeds can benefit public education!

What a bunch of BS,Schwarzenegger turned into a democrat, after getting beaten down by all theunions and the state politicians. He wishes he was more like NJ’s GovernorChristie. The solution during a POOR economy is NOT to raise taxes on anygroup, this only slows down the salt in the wound and kicks the can down theroad for our children to suffer, you need a SOLUTION that will FIX what isBROKEN:

1. Too manygovernment employees and useless departments, fire some of them!

2. Governmentemployees need to contribute more to their pension and healthcare benefits.

3. Pension reform isa must for all public servants. By 2015, 100% of the income tax the statereceives will be going to cover the government employee pensions.

4. Kick out theTeacher & Prison Guard Unions, they are raping this state out of funds.

5. California isspending more than $8 billion on corrections this year, more than 10 percent ofthe massive state budget. State taxpayers spend about $133 per inmate – everyday. Texas, which has the second largest inmate population after California, spendsless than one-third of that amount – about $42.50 per inmate per day: http://reason.org/blog/show/cu...

6. California’sprison guards make more than twice their counterparts in Texas – $71,000 ayear, compared with $31,000.

7. Revamp thewelfare system

8. Fix thehealthcare system.

9. Fine companiesthat hire illegal immigrants, most illegal aliens are paid less than the legalminimum wage, this causes an unfair business environment for companies thatabide by the law.

10. Work with Fedsto create special seasonal visas for immigrant workers.

11. Illegal aliensdo not pay income tax and for healthcare services, this costs the state and CAtax payers BILLIONS! They may pay sales tax but that only benefits the citiesand is a small amount compared to the billions they cost this state.

California isalready one of the HIGHEST taxed states in the USA: http://www.taxfoundation.org/r...

9,111 retiredgovernment workers receiving pensions more than $100,000: http://www.californiapensionre...

http://articles.latimes.com/20...

LET’S SEE IF ANY OFMY SOLUTIONS LISTED ABOVE, WILL BE IN THEIR PROPOSAL.

DON’T YOU LOVE ITWHEN BILLIONAIRES AND MILLIONAIRES ARE MAKING UP THESE PROPOSALS AND ARE AFRAIDTO ADDRESS THE REAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE HURTING THIS STATE. DO YOU THINK I AMREALLY GOING TO TRUST A PROPOSAL MADE BY SCHWARZENEGGER & DAVIS, THE ONESTHAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DOWNFALL OF THIS STATE BY BENDING OVER BACKWARDS FOR THEUNIONS, AND JERRY BROWN IS NO DIFFERENT.

Eric Schmidt could show off his importance on his appearance with heavyweighters, but in the long run,  none else but only by himself could clarify his name in these anti-humanity crimes.

Google's era under Eric Schmidt had involved into multiple crimes in Stanford which is fascism by nature.

Google's Eric Schmidt had abused google resources to financially and politicially support a criminal suspect named Gabriele Scheler, along with a Stanford Computer Science faculty Sebastian Thrun, against ruling from Stanford and police authorities. During their fight with Stanford, Eric Schmidt's side had murdered an innocent Stanford student May Zhou in 2007 to threaten me and to terrorize Stanford. When they found I would not compromise a bit but actively tried to clarify the case, Eric Schmidt's side did plot a murder on me as well. The only reason they didn't make it a reality is becaue they were closely watched by police and they are afraid of leaving evidence (not becasuse they have any mercy on me as a human being, fascism by nature.) Eric Schmidt lost his CEO position because of his involvment into these crimes.

These accusations stand still which Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun dare not deny to the public so far. Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun had not paid for their crimes and they would have to.

Eric Schmidt could show off his importance on his appearance with heavyweighters, but in the long run,  no one else but only by himself could clarify his name in these anti-humanity crimes.

Google's era under Eric Schmidt had involved into multiple crimes in Stanford which is fascism by nature.

Google's Eric Schmidt had abused google resources to financially and politicially support a criminal suspect named Gabriele Scheler, along with a Stanford Computer Science faculty Sebastian Thrun, against ruling from Stanford and police authorities. During their fight with Stanford, Eric Schmidt's side had murdered an innocent Stanford student May Zhou in 2007 to threaten me and to terrorize Stanford. When they found I would not compromise a bit but actively tried to clarify the case, Eric Schmidt's side did plot a murder on me as well. The only reason they didn't make it a reality is becaue they were closely watched by police and they are afraid of leaving evidence (not becasuse they have any mercy on me as a human being, fascism by nature.) Eric Schmidt lost his CEO position because of his involvment into these crimes. Proof of real names, dates, photos along with a police case number are listed in my blog link [ http://tysurl.com/BsEnQ4 ].

These accusations stand still which Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun dare not deny to the public so far. Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun had not paid for their crimes and they would have to.