Posted on 05/15/2012 8:06:39 AM PDT by Kaslin
California, like Greece is perpetually in fiscal trouble. Overoptimistic revenue forecasts coupled with spending $2 billion more than expected has California in a deep hole. Governor Jerry Brown has the same non-solution as ever, hike taxes.
Brown wants a "temporary" (as in seven years) tax hike. Given we all know there are no such things as temporary tax hikes in California (seven years is permanent enough in the first place), and also given the California school budget needs an axe, I say let him.
Please consider California deficit has soared to $16 billion, Gov. Jerry Brown says
Gov. Jerry Brown announced on Saturday that the state's deficit has ballooned to $16 billion, a huge increase over his $9.2-billion estimate in January.
Lawmakers and others were hoping that a rebounding economy would help the state avoid steep cuts to social services. But revenue in April, the most important month of the year for income taxes, fell far short of expectations, leading to a shortfall of at least $3 billion in the current fiscal year.
The state has also spent $2.1 billion more than expected, according to the controller, further worsening California's financial health.
Advocates involved in budget discussions say they expect deeper cuts to social services than Brown originally proposed in January. Union officials are also in negotiations with administration officials about ways to reduce state payroll costs, an issue that wasn't on the table earlier this year.
Brown has said there will be even deeper cuts, mostly to public education, if voters do not improve tax hikes in November. He is seeking a quarter-cent increase in the state sales tax for four years and a seven-year hike on incomes of $250,000 or more that will range from 1 to 3 percentage points. He says the measure would raise $9 billion in the upcoming budget year.Tax Hikes, Public Unions, and Union Sympathizers Hand-in-Hand
Whenever tax hikes are on the table, union supporters are at the front of the line demanding them.
Yahoo!News has additional details in California facing higher $16 billion shortfall
Under Brown's tax plan, California would temporarily raise the state's sales tax by a quarter-cent and increase the income tax on people who make $250,000 or more. Brown is projecting his tax initiative would raise as much as $9 billion, but a review by the nonpartisan analyst's office estimates revenue of $6.8 billion in fiscal year 2012-13.
Supporters of the "Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012" say the additional revenue would help maintain current funding levels for public schools and colleges and pay for programs that benefit seniors and low-income families. It also would provide local governments with a constitutional guarantee of funding to comply with a new state law that shifts lower-level offenders from state prisons to county jails.
A second tax hike headed for the November ballot is being promoted by Los Angeles civil rights attorney Molly Munger, whose initiative would raise income taxes on a sliding scale for nearly all wage-earners to help fund schools.
Anti-tax groups and Republican lawmakers say both tax increases will hurt California's economic recovery. State GOP Chairman Tom Del Beccaro has embarked on a statewide campaign to discuss alternatives to Brown's tax hikes.
The governor is expected to propose a contingency plan with a list of unpopular cuts that would kick in automatically if voters reject tax hikes this fall. In January, he said they would result in a K-12 school year shortened by up to three weeks, higher college tuition fees and reduced funding for courts.Expect to hear Armageddon chants from public unions immediately if not sooner.
How Brown Ruined California in His First Term
Bear in mind that Governor Brown helped ruin California with public union collective bargaining rights in his first stint as governor, in the 70's.
California will not change until we can stop the vote fraud.
Even the idiot FDR would not have let “public” servants unionize. He knew what would happen. why pay for this nonsense? Liberals do! Keep teachers that cant teach, protect those that shouldn’t have a job to begin with.
I am a libertarian and I do not think that the federal government should have anything to do with education.
They cannot even balance the budget. liberals suck.
They are counting on the feds to eventually bail them out.
She would've ran into the same brick wall that Schwarzenegger faced: California's overwhelming liberal democrat State legislature supported by powerful unions that roadblocked any real reform.
Meg Whitman was the latest squishy moderate to infatuate the GOP-e. She would have been just another Democrat-lite Republican in the mold of Schwarzenegger.
As has been posted on this forum many times, the best thing we can hope for is gigantic earthquake to slide California into the ocean. Why do we keep beating this dear horse, when we have no hopes of ever fixing the problem??
As has been posted on this forum many times, the best thing we can hope for is gigantic earthquake to slide California into the ocean. Why do we keep beating this dear horse, when we have no hopes of ever fixing the problem??
“If Brown continues to suck up to the public unions responsible for the mess California is in, expect still more businesses to leave, expect the unemployment rate to rise, and expect a continued plunge in revenue.”
...and those vested in California will see their investments ie; property decline in value, and become even more difficult to sell.
As a long time resident of CA, we need to blame all the MORONs who keep voting for these socialist idiots. CA will have to go bankrupt, but even then the moron voters will likely keep electing socialist. Last one leaving CA, turn out the lights!
So, when that happens, where will you post your other ideas, since FeeeRepublic would be gone?
Make that FREE Republic!
Several years ago, the IL Tollway Authority sent me a nasty letter about unpaid tolls on I-294 around Chicago. After digging into this, I found that the license plate was on a Jeep Wrangler registered in one of the Chicago suburbs (I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee). The license was close, but not mine (nor had I been anywhere near Chicago on the dates they cited).
I wrote these idiots a nastygram that would curl your hair. I laid out the facts, gave them the phone number of the DMV person that helped me research the offender's plate, and told them that any further action by them would be run through my attorney for legal recourse. I never heard another word from the IL Tollway Authority.
Shortly after this incident, it came to light the IL Tollway Authority was running a scam to see how many gullible people they could collect money from for things they had not done.
I hate the political scum that run this state. If I could sink both Cook and Sangamon Counties into a black hole in space, the other 100 counties in IL would cure 99 percent of their problems.
——Lawmakers and others were hoping that a rebounding economy would help the state avoid steep cuts to social services.-——
I get it. They were expecting the economic recovery that automatically follows every recession, regardless of public policy.
Any liberal could make that idiotic assumption.
Which is precisely why it is so important this year for the Republican party to get their candidates elected to Congress and the Senate. Otherwise, if Romney does become president and, inevitably, the SHTF— the stink will be all over him and his party!
I’m with you on that. My wife manages a chain retail store in Rockford, and travels to other stores in her region on a somewhat frequent basis. That means paying tolls in many instances, or else severe additional time logged in travel. We live in Rochelle, so have both a tollway (I-88) and Interstate (I-39) right at our fingertips. She uses I-39 daily to get to work, and I-88 or I-90 fairly frequently to get to other stores. So, the I-Pass saves in that respect.
But, you’re right. This state sucks big time. And it’s all because of 3 small areas (in geographical area) that control the state with their socialist politics. We’re next to California in terms of being close to the glory hole, and that’s downright scary. Especially with the idiots in power.
I have a nephew and his wife living in Chicago. Other relatives in the near-burbs. I’ll go as far in as Oak Park infrequently (where I was born), but that’s it. South, North or West is fine. Especially North (I grew up in South-Eastern Wisconsin).
Bear in mind that Governor Brown helped ruin California with public union collective bargaining rights in his first stint as governor, in the 70’s.
The Educational Employment Relations Act of 1976, established collective bargaining in California’s public schools and community colleges
The Ralph C. Dills Act of 1978 established collective bargaining for state government employees
The Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act of 1979, extended collective bargaining to the state university system. “
If FReepers knew how many of these employees earn over 100,000 per year.....and how many earn 200-400,000 per year
they would explode. Brown did all of this in the mid to late 1970’s.
I doubt that that’s true....most Californian’s well remember Moonbeam and his zany antics from the mid-70s to the mid-80s.
They chose to elect him again and deserve what’s coming. Maybe the rest of the country will sit up and take notice once CA declares bankruptcy and begins defaulting on those inflated union salaries, pensions and medical benefits and liberal social welfare programs.
No sympathy! They voted for what they got.
Next there will be a call for the Fed. (you and me) to bail the Californuts out. Don’t let it happen!
If you live in Ca. get out now!
The second part of your post is correct.
You mean, like Obama right?
San Francisco and Los Angeles controls the vote in California. The Rural counties tend to be solidly republican, but when you have a few million zanies and illegal immigrants voting themselves bread and circus's, while simultaneously voting out your ability to farm, mine, log or manufacture you get...
California
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