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The Cleveland Board of Education approved a new budget with millions of dollars in cuts. The cuts are so drastic that there are some employees of the Cleveland Schools who dont know if they have jobs next school year. Some non-instructional union employees, such as cleaners, custodians and clerical workers, will most definitely see job cuts. Other non-union jobs are also at risk.

Chief of Staff, Lisa Marie Ruda, said specific numbers wont be known until early next week, when district officials finish adding up positions already lost to retirement or attrition. In the recent weeks, over 500 teachers and paraprofessional educators throughout Cleveland Schools have received layoff notices; some effective immediately and others in the fall. These recent cuts are reflective of $35.4 million in salaries and benefits from last school year. Last month the Cleveland Schools voted to close 22 schools in order to save money. Over the past three years there have been over $100 million in cuts. And on August 2nd voters will be asked to approve a tax increase that could raise an additional $48 million for the Cleveland Schools.

The Cleveland Schools CEO, Barbara Byrd-Bennett,blamed the slashes on the state cuts. Cleveland Schools could lose as much as $6 million in Medicaid monies which are used to provide speech, hearing and occupational therapists for needy students. Another $6 million in general funds from the revised state budget will also be lost to Cleveland Schools.

The state Senate changed its proposed two-year education budget in May. Cleveland Schools would have received a half-percent increase in state aid in 2006 and 1.2 percent more in 2007 under the originally proposed budget. However the revised plan that Gov. Taft must approve does not provide any increases for Cleveland Schools at all.

There are two sets of employee groups within the Cleveland Schools who will be saved from layoffs. Bus drivers, who had about 130 lay-offs last winter, will be among those. Also the Cleveland Schools will not cut security officers because they are needed to keep students in the high schools safe and secure. The bus system itself is being looked at carefully. An outside company hired by Cleveland Schools, TransPar Group, will be looking into the districts transportation program. This is a move to privatize the management of this department after it was involved in a number of complaints and scandals. The Cleveland Schools had to repay $729,000 to the state because school bus counts were wrong. This is hardly something a district undergoing severe cuts can afford to do. TransPar will be paid $50,000 to audit and evaluate the current system.

People make the right decisions far more often than the government ever has, does, or will. I think that the best form of government is one that encourages, facilitate, and empower the individual citizen to make their own individual choices on how to live their lives. I feel that this translates to the government trying its best to get out of the way much more often than 'providing' anything. I think that maybe the government should abolish the tax code as it is completely; And, maybe institute the "Fair Tax Act" as it is currently written.

The government should repeal and abolish all laws which restrict accumulation of precious metals; As well as, all laws which formed the Federal Reserve Bank. The Federal Reserve's mandate is to protect the U.S. economy and the U.S. Dollar and they have continually failed ever since it was created a century ago. The abolishment of the old tax code effectively abolishes the I.R.S. by default as the "Fair Tax Act" is essentially an interstate, and international, sales tax.

As Congress passes all of these acts the national economy will experience an unpresidented boon that will exceed all expectations. Charities will once again become a vital part of helping those in need. I think that all states should privatize their government schools and instead turn to a system of vouchers to insure all citizens receive a basic education; And, to encourage and promote this, I think Congress should shift all education money to a school voucher system similar to what President George W. Bush created. The system has already proven a great success, despite President Obama's halting of federal funding.

I feel that the best thing the government can do is to get out of the way of the private citizen, and small businesses. The Private Citizen, and small businesses are what have continued to give this country the greatest economy in recorded history, even as the National Socialist Party, otherwise known as the Democrat Party, threatens it with actions that increasingly has the Government get in the way of growth and prosperity. Every country that has gone down the path I have advocated has experienced unparalleled success; And, every country that has tried socialism has failed with universal misery.