Here are ideas on what we should 'sustain'
 |
StoryChat: Comment on this story |
If you tuned in to the opening speeches at the Legislature yesterday, it's clear "sustainability" has become the buzzword, so it makes sense to think about what that means.
An action that promotes sustainability keeps things healthy for the future. For the visitor industry, this may mean finding a way to develop a workforce to maintain that industry. One community may want assurance that they'll find homes they can afford, while another might worry about rising taxes.
It will mean different things to different groups, so trying to define it narrowly seems futile. Instead, lawmakers should decide what they are trying to sustain and focus on laws that create more than just stopgap solutions.
Here's one short list:
It's also smart to speed repairs of existing affordable rentals and public housing for short-term relief.
Voters aching for tax reform might appreciate the mandated rebate, but a deeper structural reform should be considered, such as an increase in the standard deduction or exemption of food and drugs from the excise tax.
More autonomy would be healthy throughout the school system, as long as it's paired with accountability. Public school authorities are putting a chief financial officer in charge of the books. With an education budget of more than $2 billion, the public must be able to see where the buck stops.
Sensible land-use policies, especially directing the use of agricultural land, would help maintain a balance of development and open space.
The latest proposal to create a healthcare fund deserves a look as a means to pay for shortfalls in emergency care and cover the uninsured. Work also must begin on ensuring that long-term care remains a viable service for the future.
Especially in our rural communities, doctors are finding it impossible to sustain their practices. The Legislature should review low reimbursement rates and, to manage the insurer's costs, tackle the thorny issue of tort reform. It might also be wise to see whether the California experiment with universal healthcare proves the theory that making healthcare a basic service pays off in the long run.
Having an affordable home, quality healthcare, good stewardship of the 'aina, a strong education system and a living wage are what will truly sustain us. Lawmakers have talked about the basic goal. Now they have 60 working days to turn words into action.
