[FreeSpeechZone]

taxes

[visualops]

thanks to a weak economy

I think mismanagement and fiscal irresponsibility are the more likely culprits.

[Cicero]

As much as half these state budget deficits may belong to California alone.

A lot of states are in minor trouble owing to dropping tax revenues. The only states in big trouble are the ones that put themselves there by fiscal irresponsibility.

[NormsRevenge]

For instance, in California, Gov. Gray Davis proposes cutting 300,000 low-income parents with incomes between 61 and 100 percent of the poverty line (the poverty line is about $15,000 for a family of three), and another 200,000 parents with lower incomes.

Yes, cutting benefits sounds so mean-spirited... Let's raise taXes on all the rest of the already over-tax-burdened Californians instead. /sarcasm

[concerned about politics]

When our budget gets tight, we stop spending money on unessary items.
Most social aid programs are unesssary. They're not for people in "need", they're for people in "want".

[montag813]

So cut the damn aid to "homeless", subsidized housing (let them pay full rent or move out of the cities), education (that's what property taxes are for), the "arts", subsidized health care, aid for illegals, money for drug abuse programs, money for "job training", eliminate disability payments for head cases, subsidized abortions, and on and on and on.

CUT CUT CUT funding services aid help assistance.

CUT NOW and gain back balance. Let the nanny state continue to swell and continue in deficit.

-------------- OR ------------

RAISE TAXES AND YOU LOSE REVENUES AND PEOPLE WILL LEAVE YOUR STATE (AND YOU WILL LOSE REVENUES).

Good luck with your decision.

[concerned about politics]

This is another one of the Clinton legacies.
During his reign of terror, Enron, Global crossing, etc., were cooking their books and allowed to do so via Democrat legislation.
The Dot coms never made a prophet, and were over valued as well.
The gov. profit was also a lie, and hugely over estimated.
The entire economy of the '90's was fraudulent, but no one cared. "It's the fake economy, stupid."
Now that the fraud has shown it's face, the "perceived" revenue is not there. All the new social spending programs devised throughout the '90's depended on this ghost of a future revenue. Now, the money isn't really there, and their weeping.
Who's to blame? Politicians for spending money they didn't really have.
Some one should have spoken up and told the nation before they over spent.
But what the heck, as with foreign policy, ignore it. He's almost out of there, and the next president will take the heat and suffer the clean up.
Bush has to clean up more than any president in history. Is there nothing Clinton touched that wasn't destroyed?
People ask "Why is Clinton blamed for everything?." Well, because it's hard to hide the truth forever. It's gotta come out "sooner rather than later".

[Stavka2]

Again, I seem to miss understand where the $100-$1,200 billion dollars are going to come from for the Gulf War? The shadow economy?

[GailA]

Time to get out the budget axe..cut new college buildings BEFORE you cut services to children. CUT governor and legislators salaries before you cut services to old folks.

NAW it will never happen that a pol will give up his perks and salary for the CHILDREN.

[Founding Father]

Dammit--just get it over with and raise my taxes to 100% of what I earn and take away all my assets.

[ninenot]

In Wisconsin, the Republican Governor added 10,000 State employees (in 16 years) from a base of 15,000--meaning that he increased State employment by 40% in that timeframe.

Needless to say, the budget is projected to be in deficit by about $3 billion for 2003/04--a billion every six months.

The solution: the Internet Sales Tax agreement. No one in the State gov. will cut the useless marshmallows who sleepwalk through paid days.

[monkeyshine]

I think that more than 1/2 of all the states' deficits is held by California.

[jackbill]

States will face budget deficits of at least $60 billion next year thanks to a weak economy

Typical AP Bull$hit. States are facing budget deficits because they went on a spending binge over the last three or four years. Check the employment statistics. The biggest gain in employment over these years was in state and local governments.

[MissBaby]

This story is a little deceptive considering that California alone is responsible for $35 billion of the total.

[Walkin Man]

"State budgets are in deep trouble right at the moment," said Leighton Ku, an analyst at the center, which leans liberal but has a reputation for evenhanded analysis.

Maybe its because they spent money like drunken sailors all through the 90's?

I read somewhere that most of these states are going to have very large property tax increases to make up the difference.