Posted on 08/01/2010 9:37:44 AM PDT by dragnet2
Its come to this: The Texas budget outlook has become so bleak that were comparing rather favorably to the one state where balanced budgeting goes to die.
People, our budget deficit is now as bad as Californias.
That fact may not sit well with some peopleespecially in the governors office, which loves to bash California and never misses an opportunity to point out how Texas low-tax, business-friendly model has led to a more robust economy and sound state finances.
When California faced a $60 billion deficit last yeara shortfall that was bigger than the entire budget of most statesyou could almost hear the chortling from the Texas governors office. It seemed a handy example of what happens when you put big-spending liberals in charge.
It wasnt that simple, though. The causes of Californias problemsand Texas lack thereofwere varied and complex. And now the states budget deficits are looking very similar.
Texas: $18 billion shortfall (estimated) or about 20 percent of state spending.
California: $19.1 billion shortfall (official estimate) or about 20 percent of state spending.
The numbers match up pretty neatly.
You can read a breakdown of Californias proposed budget for next year here.
The days when Texas leaders could mock Californiaor at least its budget messappear to be over.
(Excerpt) Read more at texasobserver.org ...
My went double went prices are going down. Protested and got small reduction but still up substantially. I know of elementary school teachers making over 100k. The Houston Chronicle posted the salaries and the union had a fit saying it should be considered private information.
Sunshine review??.....lol... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As of July 11, 2010, however, the state faced a budget shortfall of up to $18 billion dollars.
Texas is feeling the effects of the economic downturn. Taking all state revenue sources into account, the state is expected to collect $167.7 billion in revenue for all state funds in 2010-11."[3] Revenue will not reach that level, and lawmakers have called for budget cuts.
The state faces a budget gap for the 2012-13 biennium and it has been estimated to be as high as $18 billion. The legislature will face the issue when it next meets in January 2011.[2]
d2 likes lefty rags as long as they are trashing a state that is far more conservative than his own.
He knows that Texas cannot even aspire to being the cesspool California has become.
Jealousy is an ugly thing, isn't it? ;-)
Has Texas RINO governor vetoed all the attempts by the overwhelming Republican legislature to cut off health care, schools, welfare, and other taxpayer funded freebies for the illegal alien hordes? (Wondering - - I dont follow Texas that closely.)
Probably not. Rick Perry is an Open Borders Globalist who was pushing the NAFTA Superhighway and the North American Union just a couple of years ago (Texans slapped him down on that).
Scary is that people actually believe Perry is some kind a born-again conservative...when he still shares a lot of Obama and Liberal Open Borders/Globalist agenda
(Texas landowner, not a current resident...what goes on in TX interests me a lot)
Uh, all 4 links which have been provided, are all from Texas...
You seem angry again...
LOL!
This is bs...they are trying to make a move for the dem White.
The state faces a budget gap for the 2012-13 biennium and it has been estimated to be as high as $18 billion.
I suggest you all start laying off government employees, by the thousands...
Help Texas watch her borders. Watch live on 18 cameras and report illegals. Night cams in operation
http://www.blueservo.net/index.php?error=nlg
Having been here a long time, for some reason I have never heard of this paper before.
Looking at the website the alarm went of with the note about MOLLY IVINS TRIBUTE Edition. Molly Ivins??? Conservative???? Nuf for me to know better!
Ya never heard of the Texas Star Telegram?
http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/05/11/2182263/texas-budget-shortfall-widens.html
AUSTIN — The state government’s fiscal outlook worsened Tuesday as the chief budget writer in the House said a projected shortfall facing lawmakers is at least $18 billion.
Ya ever heard of the Houston Chronicle?
Texas is facing $18 billion budget shortfall
Houston Chronicle
AUSTIN Texas House Speaker Joe Straus told legislators Tuesday it’s imperative they close a budget gap without passing new taxes, as the House budget chief put the shortfall at a whopping $18 billion.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7001539.html
Sorry, dragbillwhite2, don’t follow where you want us to go with dear Molly Ivins sympathizers.
Why the name calling?
I am not the source or author of these multiple articles and links.
Why you attacking me?
Thanks!
I’m not disputing that there is a shortfall as of July for last fiscal year of the currently approved biennial budget. The current shortfall is due in part because we did not take federal money that we originally included as revenue in the budget.
The point is that the “shortfall” will not continue into the next biennial budget because Texas requires a balanced budget. Perry is already cutting spending this fiscal year to account for the shortfall from last fiscal year. If there is a shortfall at the end of this fiscal year, the next biennial budget must and will compensate for it.
We cannot, by law, enter into a new budget with a projected shortfall. We will reduce appropriations for the next fiscal year and increase revenue. And if we do not intend to take a specific amount of federal money next fiscal year, we will not include that amount as revenue like we did in the current budget.
California’s budget problems are decades in the making. Texas may be short this fiscal year, but it is not a result of decades of bad policy. That’s not to say we don’t have some bad policies, but we’re nowhere close to the level of budget troubles in California.
Best remedy for this in my opinion, is to first start firing thousands of state government employees.
State employees get a 15% pay differential if they’re bi-lingual.
Just take that away, that’s probably a few billion right there.
No doubt. That’s an excellent idea.
The very next two sentences are:
Gov. Perry announced $1.2 billion in cuts in May 2010. "Every penny we save now in the 2010-11 biennium is one penny closer to balancing the budget in the next legislative session," Perry said in a statement.There's no debate that we face a budget shortfall at the end of this biennial budget. However, we will not enter into the next biennial budget with a shortfall. We will balance our budget.
My beef with these articles (not with you) is that the authors imply that Texas has serious financial problems that will continue into the years ahead and are as bad as the finanical troubles of California. Texas is not facing bankruptcy, considering asking the federal government for a bailout, or issuing IOU's. To compare the Texas budget with California's is partisan propaganda.
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