[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

More on the Budget crisis!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

calgov2002:

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[unixfox]

"There are state workers who live from paycheck to paycheck,"

So do a lot of other people !! When the state of Kalifornia learns to keep it's costs under control and fix their ILLEGAL alien problem then maybe they can think about getting raises. Until then, I say let the effing state starve to death.

[Chad Fairbanks]

"There are state workers who live from paycheck to paycheck," said Rick Chivaro, Connell's chief counsel. "If you reduce them to $6.75 an hour, their payments on mortgages, cars, tuition and other obligations are at risk."

While I don't wish bad things to happen to people, I think that perhaps it's time the public sector started feeling the same pinch that the private sector constantly feels...

[Myrddin]

"There are state workers who live from paycheck to paycheck," said Rick Chivaro, Connell's chief counsel. "If you reduce them to $6.75 an hour, their payments on mortgages, cars, tuition and other obligations are at risk."

The court told them all state employees would be limited to pay at the federal minimum wage rate of $5.15 per hour NOT the California minimum wage of $6.75. Rick obviously wasn't paying attention.

[Dog Gone]

and the salaries of judges and elected officials

While I laughed at the thought of Gray Davis and the legislators making minimum wage, this new fact is even better! Now, any delay will make it look as if the Democrats don't care as long as their own paychecks are secure (which has been true all along).

This decision has really made my day!

[Myrddin]

Since the budget deadline is July 1st, maybe California should shutdown the schools completely for the summer as a first step in dealing with the budget overruns. A few people will complain about missing summer school, but it isn't the main part of the school year.

[IronJack]

The citizens of California -- the ones who overwhelmingly pass these plebiscites -- are obviously at war with the government of California -- the elitists who are determined to implement a left-wing agenda over the bodies of the populace. This kind of aristocratic arrogance is what got Louis XVI beheaded. And got King George III booted from these shores a few centuries ago.

I'd weep for California, except it's not worth the salt in my tears.

[Glenn]

I think other states should get together and sue the state of California for being a bad state. You know...like the tobacco settlement, Microsoft, and anyone whoever employed an analyst to guess what the price of AT&T or Enron was going to be.

[alaskanfan]

Typical liberal bravo sierra.

First they cut the programs that mean the most to the public.

Here in Alaska a few years ago there was a mandate for an income tax that was voted down by the people. The governmental response was to cut road maintenance programs, however there was still enough money in the budget to vote themselves a pay increase and build a new exercise facility for the legislators in the capitol.

[snopercod]

Thanks for keeping us flagged, Ernest.

I think I smell a whiff of "emergency powers" in the air. From the California Constitution, Article IV, Section 12 (c):

Until the budget bill has been enacted, the Legislature shall not send to the Governor for consideration any bill appropriating funds for expenditure during the fiscal year for which the budget bill is to be enacted, except emergency bills recommended by the Governor or appropriations for the salaries and expenses of the Legislature.

[let freedom sing]

School kids make the best hostages in a budget crisis. /sarcasm

[exodus]

"...A provision in the state constitution directing the Legislature to send a new budget to the governor by June 15 is routinely ignored..."

"...The Jarvis association, citing a provision in the state constitution, filed a lawsuit in Superior Court in Los Angeles in 1998 to prevent the state from continuing to spend money if there is no budget in place..."

********************

That's great!

I'm not a fan of judicial interference,
but there's no doubt that this falls under judicial purview.

[truth_seeker]

If candidate Simon is wise, he will profit from this severe case of fiscal mismanagement. He will lay the entire fiasco at Davis' feet.

To wrestle the budget closer to balance, there will be a whole lot of budget cutting. Much will be for social programs and govt. employees. That gives Davis' base reasons to be pissed at him; either stay at home, or vote Simon.

The big IF will be how wisely Simon handles his campaign, this issue, and the press. If he is skilled, he will win. If he is not, he will lose.

For the critics in other states, I direct you to Props. 13, 187, 209, 227 all passed by Calif. voters. What equivalent measures have been passed in your state?

[ODDITHER]

"among them Medi-Cal, food stamps, foster care, and the salaries of judges and elected officials."

ROTFLMAO - Never fear, the State workers that are cut to minimum wage will now qualify for Medi-cal, food stamps, an a whole host of other programs. They can now have their heat and light bill paid through LEAP - and get free cheese.

But that last statement about paying the elected officials and judges really is funny.

Only in the Peoples Republic of California.

[heleny]

legislators, faced with a record $23.6 billion budget gap, are battling over a proposal by Gov. Gray Davis to raise taxes and cut health and welfare programs.

Another way to reduce spending (and contribute toward balancing the budget) would be to spend less money on illegal aliens. If CA can rescind the laws that grant in-state tuition to illegal aliens and if Gray Davis would try to uphold/defend Proposition 187, we might save a lot of money. At least, we should stop passing new laws that subsidize illegal aliens even more.

For UC's, the tuition difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition is about $11K. Assuming a few hundred illegal aliens benefit from the new laws, the state loses a few million dollars. The illegal alien enrollment at CSU's and community colleges is higher, but the tuition is lower -- I guess that costs a few million dollars, too. The rest of public education and healthcare represent huge costs to the state, too.