Regarding tough love, I could not agree more. We have reached our limit.

If you haven't heard, businesses and people are leaving California; they can no longer afford to do business or live here. Our state government's spending has been out of control for years.

Most of the overspending is due to the unions of state, county, city workers and special interest groups. As long as you have any money in your pocket your government will try and find a way to remove it, i.e., Props 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F.

Starting with the governor and state legislators we should impose a 25 percent cut in their pay and benefits. The cuts should increase 5 percent each year until they cut spending to the point the budget is balanced or they quit.

They might like to start by cutting the more than $5 billion a year they spend of your money on illegals—that might pay for some of the teachers.

If, since 1990, state spending increases had been held to the inflation rate plus population growth, the state would have a $15-billion surplus instead of a $42-billion budget deficit, which is larger than the budgets of all but 10 states.

Since 1990, the number of state employees has increased over a third. In Schwarzenegger's six years as governor, per capita government spending, adjusted for inflation, has increased nearly 20 percent. Have you seen any improvements or just higher taxes?

It is only your jobs and homes they are taxing away. John Duntley Simi Valley