Look at what Schwarzenfracker is up to now.

[Cleita]

He wants to cut state employees salaries down to federal minimum wage.

http://www.kcoy.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=1a700280-2c14-40db-bae7-33bfb633e942

He doesn't have the money to balance the budget. Does this sound familiar? Neither could Grey Davis which is why the Republicans recalled him and installed their muscle brained puppet in his place. Arnold became governor promising to open the books and find the fiscal waste. So he has done worse than Grey Davis. He can't balance the budget either. He has to raise taxes. It's the only way to solve California's fiscal mess. Yet he would rather rob state workers of their livelihood instead of making the billionaires and mega-corporations that are getting a free ride here pay their fair share of the burden of running this state.

[napi21]

1. I was just talking to my son, who now lives in Sicily, about Arnold's new

plan to put all State workers on minimum wage! My son used to live in Calif. and he knows it's expensive to live there! He told me that it will take 1-2 days of that crap to bring the entire State to it's knees!

He had a valid point. What would YOU DO if you were making $50,000-$60,000 a year and your boss told you you now had to work for $14,000 a year?

I want to know if Arnold has a damn death wish? I'm not wishing him any illwill, but there are a lot of pretty radical people mixed in all those State employees, and all it takes is one! I think he's NUTS!

[Cleita]

4. I used to be a state employee when I worked for

the University of California. I had to quit because we often didn't get paid when they were having budget disputes and we would get our pay retroactively sometimes two months down the line. That didn't pay the rent and the bills in the meantime, but never were we made to take a pay cut. This is going to blow up big time, I feel.

[TomInTib]

15. People around here are some kind of pissed off.

No one here can stand the Fool, anyway.

We wish he would just go away.

[no limit]

2. Any information on which state employees would be affect?

and how much they actually make?

I can't imagine someone that makes a normal living being bumped down to minimum wage not quiting. Sounds like a retarded plan, then again I can't say I'm shocked.

[dflprincess]

5. I wonder if it includes elected officials? (eom)

[slackmaster]

24. Governator doesn't have the authority to do that

They aren't employees. They are elected representatives.

[Cleita]

7. This isn't even California minimum wage. It's federal minimum wage which is

almost $1.50 less. Here is the actual order that names which employees are affected.

http://www.kcoy.com/media/news/6/7/3/6732b1af-9c34-4907-bb8f-eab1214bb3f8/gov_pay_order.pdf

[Kitty Herder]

11. People can't survive on that in California.

What the fuck is he thinking?

[iamthebandfanman]

13. that he doesnt want to run for office again

apparently.

this sorta thing will sink him... so i invite him to do more.

[Cleita]

14. Rumor is that he wants to run for Barbara Boxer's senate seat.

He's really trying to get the Constitution changed so he can run for President. I really hope his political career ends when he steps down as governor. I don't have much against him as a private citizen but I hate him as a politician who can affect my life with his actions. He's too stupid to be a good leader. Well most Republicans are, that is the ones that aren't the criminal element that are in it for the money.

[slackmaster]

25. The state of California is exempt from most of its own labor laws

Go figure.

[slackmaster]

23. Pretty much everyone except law enforcement, fire protection, and elected officials

:argh:

[Hydra]

3. This is basic republican doctrine

Whenever there is a shortfall due to their favoritism of corps, the little guy is the one who is called on to sacrifice to make it all better.

This will SERIOUSLY blow up in his face, though. Those people won't stay on at that rate.

[flvegan]

6. I thought this was just a threat to get them past the budget impasse?

:shrug:

[Cleita]

12. The only way to fix the budget and the state is to raise taxes and I

don't mean on the poor working schlub but on the many billionaires and mega corporations who are getting an almost free pass here. We are the sixth largest economy in the world. Surely there is a base for additional taxes. Of course Arnold can't do that because those are the people and institutions that are funding him.

[AlCzervik]

8. many people in my city and neighborhood work for the state, here's a link, if you have

a name you can find out their salary.

http://www.sacbee.com/1098/story/738462.html

[grantcart]

9. Its a stupid proposal that will not be used but they way that you write it up is incorrect

He would not cut their salaries.


Until the budget is passed State employees would only be paid the equivalent of the minimum wage and when the budget is passed then they would receive the balance owed to them.


The state controller (or somebody in a similar position) said yesterday that they had more than enough cash for 4 weeks and would not have to consider this cash saving move for another month.

[Cleita]

16. That isn't the way it's set out.

When I worked for the state, we got our checks held up during budget disputes, sometime for a couple of months, and then got the pay retroactively, so that option has always been there. I think he means to cut wages to federal minimum wage with no retroactivity. I suppose someone could call the Treasury office and find out exactly what he means.

[grantcart]

19. no it has been clearly stated in the news here in CA

No one is suggesting anything about cutting wages without paying them retroactively and I challenge you to find a responsible news source that states anything differently.


In less than a minute I googled the state employee union page and they had a link to the LAT

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget24-2008jul24,0,7487129.story


The Republican governor's controversial plan, likely to be challenged in court by public-employee unions if carried out, would allow the state to defer paying about $1 billion a month, administration officials said. Workers would be repaid their lost earnings once a budget was in place.


You have to be a little gullible to think that a state government anywhere in the US is going to reduce its entire work force to minimum wage and not pay them retroactively for it and it wouldn't be huge news across the country. Did you really think that the state unions would continue to work for minimum wage?

[Cleita]

28. I didn't think the unions would put up with it for long.

However, why cut the wages of the working class while they are fighting about it? A couple of months of reduced salary is enough to get people who live from paycheck to paycheck into hot water. The landlord doesn't forgive you the rent until you are able to pay retroactively. I know. I've been there. I was told to go borrow it from a relative or get my ass out of my rental. It seems there are other places to trim fat from those who can afford to go a couple of months without pay, like the legislators or administrators or judges, those that have additional resources, not the ordinary worker.

[Dogtown]

18. Huge difference

Many employees will grumble mightily, but most will stay.


It's very bad, either way.

[grantcart]

20. its an emergency situation not likely to be used for over a month

But the issue was clearly misstated by the OP

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget24-2008jul24,0,7487129.story

[Dogtown]

26. Yes

What you describe is not a rare practice. It's unfortunate, but it happens under both parties.

It certainly doesn't mean taxes will be raised, more often it means someone is balking.

[grantcart]

27. its a much bigger problem than either party

the problem is that the Republicans are backing the Democrats into a tax increase and the Democrats don't want to do it this year and they don't want to cut programs but there isn't enough money for everything and education has already taken a big hit.

[LWolf]

10. What I really want to see

is the organized response to this executive order, should he move beyond threat and actually sign it.

Will state employees flex any muscle to slap this goon down?

As a former Californian, I hope so.

[Blue_Tires]

17. ugh...

[grantcart]

21. You have completely misstated the issue

If used it will be as an emergency measure,and only if the state runs out of cash while the legislature is considering a budget.


For the record the Democratic controlled Legislature has not passed a budget which has seen significant revenue fall due to the housing crises.


If state employees received a reduced salary payment they would be paid retroactively once the budget is passed.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget24-2008jul24,0,7487129.story

from the LAT
The Republican governor's controversial plan, likely to be challenged in court by public-employee unions if carried out, would allow the state to defer paying about $1 billion a month, administration officials said. Workers would be repaid their lost earnings once a budget was in place.

Lawmakers so far have shown no sign of agreeing on a budget. Democrats continue to rally around their plan to close a $15.2-billion deficit with new taxes on the wealthy and corporations, and Republican lawmakers say they will stick to the pledge almost every one of them has signed to vote against tax hikes.

[slackmaster]

22. It's too bad he doesn't have the authority to freeze the salaries of the legislators

They're the ones who are screwing things up.

[Phred42]

29. Remember when the Repugs in DC tried that?