Whitman: Doing more with less could save $15 billion

[ilbegone]

Whitman: Doing more with less could save $15 billion

Monday, March 1, 2010

By DUANE W. GANG
The Press-Enterprise

SAN BERNARDINO - California gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman said Monday that the state could achieve $15 billion in savings without eliminating a single program.

Whitman said the savings would come largely from streamlining government, shrinking the size of the state work force and reducing waste, fraud and abuse.

"I promise you there is billions of dollars that can be saved by doing more with less," Whitman told more than 200 people at a campaign stop at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino. "There are enormous opportunities to save money here."

California faces a $20 billion deficit and double-digit unemployment. But Whitman said state still can provide critical services and close the budget gap.

The state currently has about $85 billion in revenue. Whitman said the last time revenues were at that level was fiscal year 2004-05, and the state was fine.

"California did not fall into the ocean five years ago," Whitman said. "We can live within our means. It is just that government spending ran up so dramatically that it now feels like draconian cuts."

In an interview after her speech, Whitman said finding $15 billion in savings can be done. Reducing the government work force could save as much as $3.5 billion and reducing fraud and waste could save another $4.5 billion, she said.

The state's welfare system also needs reform that could save billions, but Whitman did not provide a precise figure.

The campaign stop was billed as a "Meet Meg" event. Nearly a dozen local elected leaders attended, including members of the San Bernardino, Redlands and Colton city councils. Earlier Monday, Whitman toured an enterprise business zone in San Bernardino.

The June primary election is less than four months away. Whitman faces state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner for the Republican nomination.

Poizner on Monday campaigned in the Bay Area. He filed his paperwork to run for governor at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters office in San Jose.

"I want to deploy a series of smart, common sense, conservative solutions that will get this great state back on track," Poizner said in a written statement. "My campaign is about cutting taxes across-the-board to bring jobs back to California."