Governor Signs Order to Pay State Workers Minimum Wage

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Jun 4, 2004
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What does the Siccness think of this move by the Governator?
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made good on his threat today by signing an executive order to pay some 200,000 state workers the minimum federal wage of $6.55 an hour. The governor says the pay cut will stay in place until there's a new state budget on the books.
Joe Singh is a little hot under the collar and its not from working in the summer heat. He's steamed that Governor Schwarzenegger just whacked his pay by about 60%. "I think it's a bunch of crap that we get punished because these politicians can't get their budget right," said CalTrans Employee Joe Singh.
"It's really gonna hurt my budget at home," added Singh, a married father of three.
With a stroke of the pen, Schwarzenegger ordered the cut state workers' wages and laid off some 22,000 temporary, part-time employees. The governor says the moves are necessary to avoid a full-blown fiscal crisis in California.
"I have a responsibility to make sure we have enough money on hand to pay our bills. The executive order I'm signing today will free up money to pay the state's costs," the governor stated.
State lawmakers are over a month late in delivering a balanced state budget.
Thousands of service vendors aren't getting paid. Neither are colleges, universities and legislative employees.
"There's a cash crisis looming. This leaves me with no easy choices, only choices with consequences," said governor Schwarzenegger.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers remain far apart over how to close a 15.2 billion-dollar deficit. Democrats want nine-billion dollars in new taxes. Anti-tax Republicans want to cut spending.
"I believe the big five legislative leaders all know we can't close a $15 Billion dollar budget gap with spending cuts alone," said Assembly Speaker Karen Bass.
Schwarzenegger's order on the minimum wage is likely to be challenged by employee unions and the state controller.
But State Controller John Chiang issued a statement again today stating he will refuse to comply with the order, arguing he is not legally allowed to cut state employee pay while the state has money to cover the paychecks.
The governor says his order is legal, based on a 2003 California Supreme Court ruling. The governor's order exempts employees of public safety agencies, including peace officers, firefighters and emergency hospital personnel.
While the budget battle drags on, thousands of state workers like Joe Singh are left in limbo on the homefront.
"It's terrible. I didn't think they would do this, but I guess they did," said Singh.
He cut state employee wages to $6.55/hr to punish the state politicians... make no sense...
 

DJ Mark 7

djmark7.com
Jul 18, 1977
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#2
it ain't gonna happen...It's just a ploy to get the assholes to do the budget...He can't control their pay (meaning the legislation). But if the Controller says he's not gonna do it, then it's dead in the water.
 
Nov 27, 2006
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wow, that is ridiculous. California has the 8th biggest economy (any where from 7th to 10th depending on the source) in the world, how the fuck are we in so much debt? The state needs to hire a third party accounting firm that specializes in debt relief to balance the books and do it a way that doesn't make all the cuts certain choice areas. Smaller overall cuts in all programs, as opposed to major cuts in specific programs will reduce the drastic consequences, like in this case.
 
Jan 5, 2006
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congress people need to get paid less.. they only really work like 1 day out of the year. Fucking overpaid lazy fucks.

And if cali was its own country it would have the 4th biggest economy.
 
Jun 4, 2004
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I hope the Controller sticks with it... but Arnold is a f***ing idiot... playing political games with peoples lives to make a point is a bitch move... right now we got high gas prices and a poor economy so taking away 200,000 peoples pay could only make it worse... but he don't care he is under term limits and will be gone next election.
 

FDS

RIP DUKE BROTHERS
Jan 29, 2006
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The politicians have been debating over the Governors May revise for hella long already, they havent made a fuckin decision yet. The house needs 2/3 vote to pass a budget but the rebublicans wont raise taxes, and the dems wont take all cuts. The dems want to raise taxes only for the rich but the right wingers aint havin it.
 

MKB

Sicc OG
Dec 19, 2002
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Yeah this is some bull but hopefully it never actually happens. When I got into work today we had a video from the Director of Caltrans in our email saying that even though Chiang said he won't let this happen we shouldn't count on getting our checks. I don't see how that would happen since he was on the news this morning saying it takes 10 weeks just to reprogram the payroll computers but who knows.

Its good to see all of the support form you guys though I was reading a lot of the comments on the Sacramento Bee articles online and a lot of people were talking shit about state employees. Oh well I gotta get to work so I can actually earn that 6.55/hr.
 
Apr 25, 2002
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Wait, wait, just wait, andlet’s get this straight.

The governor cuts the checks down to min-wage.

So people get mad at the legislature for it? :confused:

That would be like me walking down the street and kicking you in the balls and then pointing at the guy next to me, but instead of being mad at me (the guy who knocked your nuts into your torso) you punch the guy next to me.

Every day I am more and more amazed at how retarded people are in this country.
 
Aug 9, 2006
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#18
Wait, wait, just wait, andlet’s get this straight.

The governor cuts the checks down to min-wage.

So people get mad at the legislature for it? :confused:

That would be like me walking down the street and kicking you in the balls and then pointing at the guy next to me, but instead of being mad at me (the guy who knocked your nuts into your torso) you punch the guy next to me.

Every day I am more and more amazed at how retarded people are in this country.
there pissed because it came to this, the budget should of been passed on time......thats what they get payed for.....hence people sayin they should get payed less because there not doing there job and shit......

maybe you should read into it a lil more before you start calling people retarted smart guy
 
Apr 25, 2002
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there pissed because it came to this, the budget should of been passed on time......thats what they get payed for.....hence people sayin they should get payed less because there not doing there job and shit......

maybe you should read into it a lil more before you start calling people retarted smart guy
It didn't come to this. Cutting their wages to min-wage is a political ploy and has nothing to do with the budget being passed or not.

Budgets don't get passed on time all around the country in tons of states and state employee wages don't get slashed.

The gov is using this as leverage against the legislature because people are retarded enough to believe it.

Being pissed that the budget isn't passed is one thing. Being pissed at the legislature for the governor trying to extend his powers into places he has no legal authority is retarded.

Try it elsewhere smart guy.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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the budget is not the fault of 99.9% of the state workers. wtf esp with todays hard times.. why would anyone consider cutting wages to bare minumum for an entire 'company'