27,000 California Inmates to be released as fiscal crisis forces State Prisons to cut expenses

According to AFP, a proposed plan to solve California’s budget crisis would reduce the state’s prison population by 27,000, it was reported Tuesday, as opposition to the new fiscal deal mounted.

The Los Angeles Times reported one side of this story on its website; the budget deal announced by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers on Monday, would involve the early release of thousands of inmates.

The Times said the reduction would be achieved through a combination of measures including allowing prisoners to finish their sentences on home detention and creating incentives for completion of rehabilitation plans.   The prison inmate proposal would help save the state 1.2 billion dollars in the coming fiscal year, the Times reported.

The precise details of the budget — designed to plug a 26.3 billion dollar shortfall in California’s finances — have not been released. The budget plan is to be put before lawmakers in Sacramento for approval on Thursday.

However public employees and local governments voiced opposition to the proposed budget on Tuesday as details began to filter out.  Public employees seem to think that their over-paid jobs are more important than ours.  Teachers and other state workers complain that they should not have layoffs in their sector.  Do they not see the growing population of unemployed private-sector jobless professionals?

AFP reports, “Monday’s deal reportedly allows for some 15 billion dollars in spending cuts, including slashing around nine billion dollars from schools, community colleges and state university programs.”  This “slashing” really consists of schools and public programs not receiving scheduled increases.  They are no true cuts.  Don’t believe the mainstream media.

AFP states, “It also slashes around 1.3 billion dollars from a state health care program for the poor as well around 124 million dollars from a scheme to provide health insurance to more than 900,000 children in low-income households.”  Read – illegal alien anchor babies and their families.

The fact is, California has twice as many State employees as it did 10 years ago.  In fact, the State of California pays people a salary to stay home with family members who require around the clock care.  My tax dollars shouldn’t pay them to stay home, and neither should yours.  Tell your legislators to cut our taxes or be voted out of office.

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