Your Opinions: Is California spending money it doesn’t really have?

Re “Governor’s budget boosts school and health spending” (Jan. 10): Gov. Gavin Newsom and his Democratic majority cannot wait to spend the faux budget surplus on their pet social programs.

If the state used normal accounting practices, there is no surplus because the state has two serious debt problems consistently ignored in every state budget.

The first concerns underfunding future state employee pension obligations that have been estimated at $450 billion. The second unfunded liability is $187 billion in future state and municipal employee health care benefits.

Those budget shortfalls in excess of half a trillion dollars will fall on the shoulders of the individual and business taxpayers so look for an even greater exodus of families and businesses from the state. There will be no one left to ride Jerry Brown’s train to nowhere. Who will wake up first, Sacramento or the voters?

Bill Dabbs

Carlsbad

Health care for all seems like risky effort

Our new governor, Gavin Newsom, says that he wants to have health care for all, whether you’re a citizen or an illegal immigrant. Yet he made no mention of provision for extra doctors, nurses, radiologists — all health care workers — besides medical facilities to meet this need.

I’m wondering, will this overwhelm our health care system and dramatically decrease the quality of care for our citizens, especially seniors?

Also, will this result in rationing of needed care?

Dianna Piper

San Diego

Bullet train a bigger waste than the wall

Recently Rep. Scott Peters in the Democrat’s weekly address called President Trump “borderline crazy” for wanting $5 billion to have a border structure to defend and protect our country and help prevent against illegal immigration.

Yet, Rep. Scott Peters supports former Gov. Jerry Brown’s $77 billion train fiasco project that is inefficient, continuing to be over budget and will never provide any type of real service for Californians.

It’s apparent Rep. Peters and the Democrats are more against President Trump than looking after the nation’s security or California taxpayers.

Gene Henderson

University City

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