Commentary: Mooney's Class
Antelope Valley Press
Edward Mooney, Jr.
June 6, 2005

Title: Turn Sacramento upside down.

Sitting at a restaurant reading the paper recently, I was astounded to read that Governor Schwarzenegger blamed the Democratic legislative members for the 12% raise recently given to all members of our California Assembly and Senate. Folks, an appointed commission, similar to what Arnold wishes for other elements of our government, decided on the raises, not the legislature. My shock didn't end here.

I then read the response of our state senator and assemblywoman to the issue of their raise. Basically, they're keeping the money. Again, they blamed the Democrats - they would only misuse it, the Runners said.

This whole thing is complete balderdash and hooey. This is good old fashioned blame the other guy partisan politics that overlooks one simple idea: that's my money the lawmakers in Sacramento are playing with.

I felt powerless. I send my money to Sacramento via my Form 540 in April, and via sales taxes. There is no way, it seems, that my voice can be heard.

My wife asked what I thought should be done with the raises. As I explained how I would take the additional money, divide it by the number of schools in my representational area and send each one a check, the Great Monumental Thought struck (either that or my French toast). My mouth dropped as I saw the Great Truth clearly lying before me.

Things are upside down. Re-read what I wrote two paragraphs back. "I send my money to Sacramento." There it is - the real problem. Sacramento controls every government function in California. Because of this, reform is useless.

It's all just a game there! Remember how I spent over two hours in the governor's office in April? Does anyone really believe they could possibly make the right decisions for you? They're too far removed from the problems we face here.

If you want to truly make government more responsive, then we need a radical shift in perspective - we have to empower local governments and school districts and get the meddling hands of the state out of our classrooms and city halls. That goes for the Federal government, too.

Plain and simple: state government should be the servant to local governments and school boards. As it is now, these groups go, hat in hand, to Sacramento, begging for money and permission to do anything.

I firmly believe that state government should be there to support local government functions, except in statewide issues such as highways. Instead of dictating "this is what cities and schools will do", state government should be asking "what can we do to support cities and schools as THEY control things?" State government should not be the master.

The government hierarchy is upside down. Everyone is fearful of the higher order. School boards and city councils go begging in Sacramento. States are fearful of the Feds. I believe the higher you go in government, the more limited the powers should be. That's the nature of the Constitution of the United States. Power should be vested as close to the people as possible.

Cities and school boards should manage their own cash flow. If a tax is generated locally, let it be managed locally. I want my school board to decide what is best for my kids, not bureaucrats with little understanding in Sacramento.

So, to fully answer my wife's question, if I represented the Antelope Valley, I'd be crying out for the stripping of state control over many things, including schools and local tax management. I'd be saying, "What can we return to local control"?

When school boards and city councils, which are closest to the people, manage their own locally-generated funds, curriculum and services, then we will have responsive government. When I am able to talk about my son's or daughter's classes to someone who can make real changes, then we will see learning that fits the needs of our community.

When my city council has direct control over the money I send in, with no fear of state interference, then we will see a city that meets the needs of its citizens.

Now school and city spending are dictated by people who sit under a gilded dome far away. We need a real cure. Stop the disease called centralized control. That's the communist way.

Thought for the Week: "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." - Thomas Jefferson

Edward Mooney, Jr., of Palmdale, is a teacher at Quartz Hill High School and the author of the novels "The Pearls of the Stone Man" and "The Journey of the Stone Man".