Outrageous Benefits 

          Simply stated, California is bankrupt and can no longer fund higher education at the level it had previously.  The state’s financial crisis has been caused by the typical liberal scenario of overtaxing its citizens and then spending the state’s treasure on everything but that for which it was meant, in this case higher education.  How did Sacramento squander the funds meant for the California State College and University system, you ask?  Let me count the ways!  Public employee unions have managed to secure outrageous benefits for their members, including early retirement with pensions that put many in the ‘100K Club’, as well as disability and medical benefits that us ordinary working folks would literally die for. 

          As just one example of the abuse, the spiking of retirement pensions with disability claims is so common that it became known as ‘Chief’s Disease’ in the California Highway Patrol.  It is estimated that 4 out of 5 CHP senior managers become disabled in the final year before they retire and two thirds of the regular officers retire with a disability.  Add this to their yearly retirement pay of up to 90% of their salary beginning as early as age 50 and you can begin to see the problem.  California taxpayers will now be stuck for years funding these benefits.  Some of it will have to be paid with money that was meant for higher education, so unfortunately students will have to share in this burden. 

Squandered Treasure 

          Thanks to these same Democrat legislators, taxpayer’s money is also being used to provide generous benefits for those who are in the country and therefore the state illegally.  Illegal immigration is estimated to cost California $22 billion each year.  Wow!  That’s almost the entire $25 billion budget deficit projected for California in 2012.  So what did the legislators do to stop this fiscal hemorrhage?  They passed the California Dream Act which provides taxpayer funded scholarships to students whose families are in the country illegally!  As magnanimous as this may sound, some would argue that it provides a privilege for these students which students from other states are not accorded.  I think we can all agree that this program simply spends more money that California does not have!  The end result will be to encourage more people to come to California illegally, which will in turn perpetuate the fiscal crisis. 

          In addition, with the state now insinuating itself into every aspect of its citizens’ lives, the accompanying bureaucracy devours money like a slot machine at an Indian Casino.  With the growing state workforce needed to administer all the new regulations there will be even more people getting outrageous retirement, medical and disability benefits.  The Democrat packed legislature just doesn’t understand that by increasing regulations and raising taxes and fees on just about everything they have also driven businesses out of California at an alarming rate.  The resulting increase in unemployment and loss of tax revenue complete the vicious cycle.  It is indeed a sad state of affairs in the ‘left coast’ state of California where for many years the ‘tax and spend’ liberals have had an iron grip on the legislature.  Higher education is one of the casualties, so college students are now being asked to pay more tuition and fees…and they are rightfully upset. 

Coming Next:  California’s Failing Public School System