Editor:

Regardless of political party, no voter in California can be proud of members of our state legislature. They are a collective embarrassment to each of us. They apparently have no regard for the citizens of this fantastic state or for the job they were elected to do.

The state senators and representatives are mandated to have a budget passed and in place on June 30 of each year. I have lived in California for over 30 years and don't recall ever seeing a budget passed and implemented on time.

I would propose a referendum to require the following with severe consequences for the members of the legislature who have failed to do their job:

On June 20 of each year, if no budget has been passed and signed by the governor; all members of both houses would be required to remain in session a minimum if 12 hours per day, Monday through Saturday, until the budget is resolved. No other legislation may be introduced or voted upon until the budget is passed and signed.

On July 1, if no budget has been approved, then the elected officials serving our state would cease to be paid and all of their staff members would be laid off without pay or benefits until the budget is approved. There will be no per-diem for any elected official after July 1 if no budget is approved.

If by July 20 of each year, no budget has been approved, then all state senators and state representatives would be terminated for failure to perform their duties. The governor would have 14 days to appoint replacements for each senator and representative, none of whom could be reappointed. New elections would be called for the first Tuesday in November.

No elected official removed from office under this provision could run for election to any statewide office for a period of six years after their willful non-action has caused them to be terminated.

If any of us in our work environment failed to perform our duties as the California legislature does year after year, we would have been terminated long ago. Unfortunately, we keep listening to the spin doctors in Sacramento and continue to re-elect until term limits expire. Then we simply elect them to a new office.

Robert F. Munion

Brentwood