First, we have Jerry Brown's announcement today that 70 state parks will be closed as of September. The list includes the governor's mansion and the Stanford mansion in Sacramento, and a number of beaches, state parks and recreation areas. These cuts, which the Legislature agreed to in March, will save the state $11 million this year and twice that next year, though they are likely to grow if the tax extensions Brown wants aren't implemented. The Parks Department will cut roughly 250 positions. To be clear, we love the beaches and parklands in California; we just see no reason why the government should be involved in managing them.
Second, we have Brown's decision to eliminate the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. The move will save the state $1.2 million a year, but the symbolism is equally important. The Board is notorious for allowing termed-out legislators to collect a sizable taxpayer-funded paycheck for essentially no work: six of its seven members are paid over $128,000 a year for roughly twelve days of work.
And finally, more staffing cuts are coming to Costa Mesa. The Orange County Register reports that 41 city employees got layoff notices yesterday as the town looks to outsource their work to outside agencies or private contractors. Costa Mesa is currently trying to cut expenses to cover a budget deficit of $5 million, and this can only help.
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