Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Report: Brown may put Calif. budget on the ballot
MSNBC ^ | December 9, 2010 | MSNBC

Posted on 12/09/2010 5:52:47 PM PST by americanophile

California Gov.-elect Jerry Brown, who in 25 days will inherit a state in a decade-long economic crisis, is hinting that he will ask voters to make the choice of approving higher taxes or living with big cuts in government services.

In a meeting with Republican senators this week, Brown said he wants to "rip the Band-Aid off next year," referring to the state's budget woes, and hinted that a special election this summer was part of the plan, the Los Angeles Times reported.

California has furloughed state workers and cut some services, but is still in a deep economic well.

"He intimated strongly that he wanted to go to the ballot but did not say so explicitly," Republican Senate minority leader Bob Dutton told the Times.

(Excerpt) Read more at fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: brown; budget; california; vote
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-51 next last
I have to hand it to them, this is truly Machiavellian. Put it to a vote, and let your union thugs and welfare recipients who just railroaded every Republican on the ballot deliver the win for you. You can raise taxes, continue to pay off your public employee union base with the revenue, and blame 'the people' for the pain of a tax hike.
1 posted on 12/09/2010 5:52:57 PM PST by americanophile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: americanophile

It isn’t going to be as easy as he thinks. Did you see this?

http://www.redstate.com/brian_d/2010/12/07/rolling-blue-state-bailout-ended-in-tax-agreement/


2 posted on 12/09/2010 5:55:35 PM PST by La Lydia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia

California is too important to the Dems, they’ll find a way around it. They will bankrupt everyone in the state before they allow the precious public employee unions to feel the pain.


3 posted on 12/09/2010 5:58:40 PM PST by americanophile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

one idea would be to manage the state services under him.

my wife and i renewed our drivers’ licenses and had to return

twice because of clerical errors.


4 posted on 12/09/2010 5:59:40 PM PST by ken21 (who runs the gop?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: americanophile
I have to hand it to them, this is truly Machiavellian. Put it to a vote, and let your union thugs and welfare recipients who just railroaded every Republican on the ballot deliver the win for you. You can raise taxes, continue to pay off your public employee union base with the revenue, and blame 'the people' for the pain of a tax hike.

And as unemployment goes up and more tax paying people leave the state, revenue will continue to fall.
Then they can vote again to raise the tax rate to cover the short fall.......rinse and repeat.

Pretty soon the only ones to pay for the fat pensions are the pensioners.

Hopefully, our House of Reps won't be foolish enough to bail these idiots out with our tax money.

5 posted on 12/09/2010 5:59:56 PM PST by Politically Correct (A member of the rabble in good standing)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

You got that right...this is beyond stupid. I’m all for it if they make the stipulation that only people that add to the tax base are allowed to vote.


6 posted on 12/09/2010 6:00:14 PM PST by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

Brown is going to be interesting.

He has no ideology, no morality, and does not consider himself beholden to the ‘left’ who elected him.
Far more dangerous and unpredictable than any politician we’ve seen in a long time. he is very smart and ruthless. there is no person or constituency, right or left, who would not get shanked if is in his interest.


7 posted on 12/09/2010 6:00:50 PM PST by RedStateRocker (Nuke Mecca, Deport all illegals, abolish the IRS, DEA and ATF.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sergio

I would treat this like the left treated executive salaries and benefits.

Unions cannot get retirement funding, raises, or medical benefits as long as the state is in the red.

Put it up for a vote. When the unions scream, turn it into a campaign ad.


8 posted on 12/09/2010 6:02:54 PM PST by EQAndyBuzz (Remember March 23, 1775. Remember March 23, 2010)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

“he will ask voters to make the choice of approving higher taxes or living with big cuts in government services.”

I vote for “big cuts in government services”


9 posted on 12/09/2010 6:03:44 PM PST by blkmontecarlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia

Everyone has been screaming...no bailout for California. I have told everyone that it is/already is happening.
They are sly because no one understands bonds.


10 posted on 12/09/2010 6:08:13 PM PST by sheana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

He’s a whimp. He causes a mess, then puts it on the ballot so he won’t need to take the heat for undoing his mess.


11 posted on 12/09/2010 6:08:27 PM PST by Brilliant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sergio

While he’s at it, he might as well let the Mexicans vote as well. The voters aren’t going to vote to tighten the belt. They could care less whether the state goes bust. It’s a gimmee mentality.


12 posted on 12/09/2010 6:10:00 PM PST by Brilliant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

As long as other states are not required to anti-up for their stupidity.


13 posted on 12/09/2010 6:10:10 PM PST by TribalPrincess2U (demonicRATS= Obama's Mosque, taxes, painful death. Is this what you want?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; Swordmaker; AdmSmith; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; bigheadfred; ColdOne; ..

14 posted on 12/09/2010 6:10:10 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

Brown knows that at least 2/3 of the population in Cali gets some kind of assistance and it would pass.


15 posted on 12/09/2010 6:10:41 PM PST by sheana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RedStateRocker

I think it’s going to be interesting, but I disagree with your view of Brown. He remains a leftwinger with a leftist ideology, a warped sense of morality, and he’s entirely beholden to the left who elected him - the whole Democratic structure in California rests upon the unions - he won’t buck that system. He’s smart and ruthless alright, but his wife and the Dem machine will keep him in line - the left won’t get shanked, only the right. He’ll just do it in a way that makes people think he’s ‘matured and changed’ since his younger days as moonbeam. People will hear his leftists BS and call it ‘nuance,’ but the result will be the same.


16 posted on 12/09/2010 6:13:06 PM PST by americanophile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: blkmontecarlo

Ya, me too. Another election we’ll lose.


17 posted on 12/09/2010 6:13:32 PM PST by americanophile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: blkmontecarlo

Yes, but the ones who elected this skank will vote for higher taxes...for everyone except themselves, that is.


18 posted on 12/09/2010 6:13:57 PM PST by alice_in_bubbaland (DeMint/Ryan 2012!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: sheana

Yep!


19 posted on 12/09/2010 6:14:43 PM PST by americanophile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: americanophile

Conservatives should start packing up right now, small business owners, any that are left, can find a better place to set up shop.


20 posted on 12/09/2010 6:15:22 PM PST by GeronL (#7 top poster at CC, friend to all, nicest guy ever, +96/-14, ignored by 1 sockpuppet.. oh & BANNED)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-51 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson