I am was shocked to hear last night what the newly passed California budget means to the schools in this State.  That is not even the worst scenario; if certain propositions don't pass, then more cuts will be needed.  The Mount Diablo School District is cutting $20 million from its budget, and this includes the entire athletic program.  This is very sad because, for some of these kids, especially those that come from disfunctional homes, after school sports is all they have.  Without an athletic program, what will those kids turn to after school?  Who can they look to for their motivation and role models?  The young people are our future and, without a competitive education, the future for them is bleak.  Our economy is 3 or 4 in the nation, and our schools rank last.  Our roads are in even worse shape.  Where is all the money going?

It is especially frustrating in light of the fact that my office often receives envelopes from the State of California with sometimes as much as 60 cents over the required postage.  Imagine how much money that adds up to every year with the volume of mail they send out.  Maybe if that money were used to benefit the State and the schools, our children would not have to receive a substandard education.  I imagine the money saved by taking the time to put the envelope on the postage meter and posting only the required amount would most probably fund athletics.

I would be fired if I performed my job in this manner.  Where is the accountability?  If there is that much waste in just the sending out of mail from the Attorney General's Office for the State of California, you can bet there is lots more that that we don't even know about.