As usual, California state government has failed voters, taxpayers and students, again. The last time there was a housing boom and housing inflation, California's elected betrayers spent the increases in tax revenues as fast or faster than they received them, which resulted in a budget crisis when housing price corrections came, as it always does. Now, it's happened again, only it is a much bigger problem because of overpriced, underperforming public education, and the overall economic meltdown.

It would be kind to say that our elected representatives are sorely lacking in judgment and common sense, when the truth of the matter is that we are being represented by a bunch of fools. Indeed, fools who circumvent the California Constitution to pay for their mistakes. It's bad enough that we are suffering from severe economic stress, but when our government exacerbates our problems with increases in gas, sales and income taxes, it's tantamount to being criminally inept. Simply put, California's government and public education are proven failures, which makes it time to reform both.

Dan Jeffs
Apple Valley, CA