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PROSPERITY: Economic Policy | July 12, 2003


BUDGET PRIORITIES &

FUNDAMENTAL VALUES

An Unpublished Letter to Los Angeles Times

Budget priorities reflect fundamental values better than any hollow rhetoric does.

You have reported (7/11/03) that California Senate Republicans have proposed cutting "optional benefits" for Medi-Cal recipients: State Senator Richard Ackerman (R-Irvine) even dismisses as "Cadillac care" such things as hospice care, for the dying; optometry and hearing aids, for our most precious senses; and physical therapy, which from my own experience and that of my father not only alleviates much suffering but also prevents further medical expenses -- cutting such programs not only reflects a contempt for the basic value of human life but also falls into the category of "penny wise, pound foolish".

I and other moderate voters with whom I have spoken prefer the budget proposed by our much maligned Governor: Spreading the burdens with a more balanced approach, of less radical spending cuts, a modest hike in the sales tax, and an increase in the income tax for those at the very top.

The economy of our entire nation is weak; the federal government and almost every state are facing a budget crisis. As always, California can help lead the way to prosperity, by our "putting our money where our mouth is" -- having our budget priorities reflect our fundamental values.

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