New York and Rhode Island leaders are working to reduce the cost of state pensions.

For the past two decades, higher taxes and Big Government have been the norm in California, with predictably disastrous results. Unless the load is lifted from California taxpayers, yet more thousands will lose their homes and jobs and savings, and another million and a half residents will go elsewhere to pursue their dreams.

For the past two decades, higher taxes and bigger government have been the norm in California, with predictably disastrous results. Unless the load is lifted from California taxpayers, yet more thousands will lose their homes and jobs and savings, and another million and a half residents will go elsewhere to pursue their dreams.

State and local governments today face unprecedented fiscal challenges and unprecedented opportunities for fundamental reforms. In the coming weeks and months, citizens can forge truly historic changes in both state and local government by reforming the budget process, privatizing services, and returning professional full-time legislatures and councils to more traditional part-time bodies.

Transparency, and the accountability that follows, is necessary for state's to fix their fiscal problems.  Citizens should now demand ready access to state and local government budgets, regulations, contracts, and contacts.  Absent transparency, there is far greater risk of continued failure, corruption, fraud, waste and regulatory abuse.