The following editorial reflects the author’s views and not necessarily those of KHTS AM-1220.

If you’ve turned on your television, listened to the radio, checked out the internet or even gone to your mail box over the past thirty days, you have heard, seen or read information about the ballot initiatives that we Californians will be voting on May 19.  Quite frankly, I have already seen enough to make what I think is a calculated decision on these propositions.

The ballot propositions, 1A through 1F have allegedly been created to resolve the fiscal mess that California currently finds itself in.  There is substantial thought now that indicates these ballot initiatives do nothing more than move our current budget problems into the future .

While at a Government Affairs meeting of the Chamber recently, I made the statement that I have now been a California resident for six years and I have seen much talk about budget reform during that period, but little action to make that happen. Several members of the committee laughed out loud with my statement-why, they explained that they have been residents of California for anywhere between 15 and 25 years and they have been hearing the “same old, same old” for that entire period.

{mosimage}So, what does all this have to do with a position taken by our Government Affairs Committee, the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of the SCV Chamber-they all feel that “enough is enough”! The Chambers Board of Directors took a position in opposition to all of the ballot propositions that will be brought before the California electorate on May 19.  They took the position for one simple reason-these ballot proposals do not solve California’s fiscal dilemma.  The only way to resolve this issue now and for many years into the future is budget reform.  We have all heard a simple phrase in the media-California does not have an income problem…it has a SPENDING problem.

It’s time for Sacramento to take a hard look at their spending priorities.  Almost all of the members of the SCV Chamber have done just that over the past twelve months-most businesses have been severely impacted with revenue losses-the only way they have survived this downturn in the economy is to cut their operating expenses and to do away with non-essential products, services or operating expenditures.  Isn’t it time for Sacramento to do just that?

The Chamber’s Board of Directors urge you to send Sacramento a simple message that says “enough is enough”…We urge you to vote NO on Propositions 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F.