Goodbye to the Budget Nun
California’s Legislative Analyst, Elizabeth Hill, is retiring. It has been her job for 22 years to run the Legislative Analyst’s Office and present analysis on legislative measures, the governor’s budget and a wide array of initiative proposals. Beyond that she has led the LAO in preparing studies to bring perspective to many of California’s governmental conundrums. I remember carefully studying one such book entitled Making Government Make Sense. I didn’t agree with all the recommendations but I applauded the effort.
Yesterday the Senate took time to praise Elizabeth Hill as reported by Capitol Alert’s Shane Goldmacher. Hill heard justifiable tributes from both sides of the political aisle. Frequently, the 120 members of the legislature are referred to as Hill’s 120 bosses. However, Hill looked at these legislators as her clients delivering her observations in a straight talk manner that would humble John McCain.
And she never forgot that she had a few million more clients beyond the legislature – the people of California.
Odds and Ends – August 15, 2008
A few odds and ends from the past week:
- Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard posted a commentary at FlashReport explaining the necessity of spending cuts: Tax Increases are Doses for the Addict
- A state’s fiscal crisis has led to state workers being forced to take a pay cut due to the lack of a balanced budget. Sound familiar? Take a look at what’s going on in Georgia: Georgia budget crisis hits workers’ paychecks
- Hot off the heels of the LA Fast Food Ban, San Jose may be looking to follow suit
- Politico examines some of the ways that technology will be used at the upcoming Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
Citizens In Chains: The High Cost of Prisoner Lawsuits to California Taxpayers
Last week Citizen’s Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) released a new study focusing on prisoner litigation. At a time when this state is in complete lock-down on the budget it seemed like an interesting topic to raise. Civil litigation by prisoners has cost the taxpayers of California nearly $200 million. And that does not include federal class actions and the subsequent receiver and three judge panel put in place by federal courts or habeas corpus lawsuits. It also does not include the bureaucracy that is involved to deal with the litigation, such as the Litigation Coordinators at each of the 33 prisons in our state or the staff that assists them in monitoring the caseload and the administrative fees. Some of these coordinators make nearly $120,000 a year.
Let me make it clear that not all lawsuits are frivolous. Certainly there are issues that need to be heard and prisoners deserve a venue for grievances, but spending an average $32 million dollars a year, enough to fund the care and feeding for nearly 500 prisoners, seems over the top. I do not think the average citizen has a clue that these costs are so high.