CA: Davis makes plea for federal funds

SJ Mercury News ^ | 1/15/03 | Jim Puzzanghera

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Gov. Gray Davis pressed Washington on Tuesday for federal money to plug California's record budget gap, saying the state and others are ``being shortchanged'' by shouldering increased costs for Medicaid and domestic security.

The governor, joined by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, also complained that eliminating the tax on stock dividends -- the centerpiece of President Bush's $674 billion economic-stimulus plan -- would drain $1 billion to $1.5 billion from California's coffers unless the state figures out a way to tax dividends separately.

[A Cyrenian]

If the federal govt helps them now, what's to say they won't come back in 5 years asking for even more help. Or why shouldn't every state go to the well looking for an easy way out of their problems. Each state has their own budget, let them fix their problems. After which, the feds can go calling on them to help other states fix their problems.

[lady lawyer]

Californians continue to elect liberals. They shouldn't ask Washington to transfer our income to them to subsidize their choices.

[socal_parrot]

The begging is unseemly for the worlds fifth largest economy.

Old news. Davis has managed to make Califoria's economy the seventh largest in the world. We should be down around Uganda by the time he's done.

[cynicom]

Fading fast???? Who will be left to support the system??? I saw other day they expect another 5 million Mexicans in two years or so. Someone has to care for them.

[socal_parrot]

Illegal immigration is more than just a California problem. It is spreading across the country, the largest rise is in the Midwest. The control of international borders lies soley with the Federal Government. They've done a very poor job and Californians, Arizonans and Texans have been supporting them for years.

[17th Miss Regt]

Significant cash from the federal government could help offset $20.7 billion in proposed budget cuts or $8.3 billion in tax increases.

And we know that if the feds gave CA some cash they would use it to prop up their spending. Note that they say that it could "offset" tax increases. This is crap. The tax increases are the first thing on the table for the legislature. If CA got $29.1 billion from the feds tomorrow, the spending would not be cut and the tax increase would still be proposed. This state is a one party state and is heading towards bankruptcy. And yes, ladylawyer, we keep electing liberals. Amazing what universal suffrage (including illegal aliens) will do.

[17th Miss Regt]

I'm sure that the national government of Aztlan has a fine support system planned for them.

[John Jorsett]

What a crock.

• States have the ability to raise taxes on their own citizens. Why should the feds tax it away from the citizens of state X, filter it, then turn around and hand it right back? Let a state that wants more revenue up its own taxes.
• Why should citizens of the states that took pains to avoid budget shortfalls pay for the improvidence of states like California that didn't?
• The very people who're griping to the feds to give them money are the same ones who'll be using the federal deficit as a campaign issue in 2004. Why should Bush assist them in creating an issue with which to beat him up? Let's keep the deficit lower by not giving the beggars a dime.

[colorado tanker]

Gray Davis and his Dims spent the California surplus like drunken sailors on liberty, and now they think a Republican President and Congress will bail them out? Somebody flushing the leftovers of a drug lab into the Sacramento water supply?

Reminds me of the '70's: Bush to California, Drop Dead!

[tubebender]

P.S. Not just no.... But "HELL NO".

You be nice or we'll bury you with all our fruits and nuts.

[cynicom]

socal...

NC has the fastest growing Mexican population in the country, percentage wise. We are being inundated.

[happygrl]

My last act in CA before hitting the road to parts back east was to vote early electronically at the Mall. Glad to say I voted for Mr. McClintock and the other Pubbies, and sorry ( but not surprised) to see the train of events since.

Too bad we don't still tar and feather politicos and run them out on a rail.

Davis deserves no less. His first back-of-the-hand to Californians was his refusal to resolve Prop 187 in the courts.

[NormsRevenge]

Yup, plenty of nuts and fruits to spare. A real BUMPer crop.

[hattend]

Dear Gray,

I didn't win your state and you never elect Republican Senators anymore. Why should we give you any cash?

Signed
The Executive Branch and the Republican Legislative Majority

PS: Sod off

[Young Werther]

So the elderly Italian was attending night classes at the local high school to prepare for his citizenship test. One night they were studying Geography and the teacher asked him to identify the location of Minneapolis. He stood, faced the class and announced where Minneapolis could be found! "Uppa US"!

Now everyone..when Grayout askes for federal aid everyone say, "Minneapolis!"

[tubebender]

You should be listening to Michael Medved right now. He has a Caltrans lacky named Richard from So Cal on the phone and this guy sounds like a rabid Karl Marx.

[navyblue]

NC has the fastest growing Mexican population in the country, percentage wise. We are being inundated.


And we here in California tried to raise awareness of this for years and nobody would pay any attention to us or thought we were all just nuts! Well, it is real and you honestly have our sympathies. Now join in and try to wake up the rest of the people as to what is happening here!

[ottersnot]

"Kalifornistan"...that is priceless.
My favorite Cali-ism yet.

[Joe Boucher]

As a resident of Florida let me say that here in my own state we have our own problems and I resent N.Y. and Calif.
overspending on every conceivable liberal giveaway program
then thinking I should come to their aid via federal taxing.
I don't really give a damn what happens in Calif or N.Y. or these other bastions of liberalism as long as they don't take my hard earnd money to fund it.
Mr. Bush and all republicans I warn you not to give Grey a dime or I will forever hound your political butts.

[cynicom]

I am new here in NC. The locals pretend there is no ongoing change. They do not even discuss it. In the stores and restaurants, you hear Spanish, ebonics and some English. I seem to be in a strange land, if not a foreign land.