California residents have long complained that they don't have much of a voice in the operation of their ever-expanding state government. That is changing a bit with the economic crisis that has forced government to retract and our political leaders to cut programs. Now it's about competing priorities, and voters are having more of a voice in those choices.
Californians will have the chance to say whether they want to pay more in taxes for state programs facing deep cuts, such as mental health services, subsidized preschool, state universities and K-12 public schools.
In November, voters will be asked whether to raise taxes to pay for the programs they believe are important. They also can say that government has enough money, and that our leaders should make more cuts in state-funded services. Voters can't duck their responsibility this time.
The financial crisis was highlighted Wednesday at Fresno State, when university President John Welty kicked off the new semester with dire warnings about the future of the university. Fresno State would have to cut $11 million from its already decimated budget if the November tax measure fails. The campus took a $5.4 million cut in December, and accessibility to a quality education has been impacted.
The question is a very simple one for Californians. Do we want to invest in this current generation, which will soon become our leaders, innovators and inventors, or continue to close our university doors to more and more students? A much more expensive price will be paid if we continue to shortchange higher education in this state.
No wonder California has been slipping financially, especially when compared with other states. We've been investing in prisons instead of education. Over the past 20 years, state support for the California State University system and the University of California has been cut in half.
California became a national leader because we invested in areas that would yield long-lasting results. The money we put into the higher education system had been paid back many times by advances in technology and business, and the taxes paid by productive Californians who earned good salaries because of their educations.
Do we again want to be the great state of California, or is our goal to be mediocre? We seem to be mastering the latter, and forgetting about what we once were.
Editorials are the opinion of the Merced Sun-Star editorial board. Members of the editorial board include Publisher Eric Johnston, Executive Editor Mike Tharp, Online Editor Brandon Bowers and Guest Editor Jessica Boerner-Grissom.
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