California budget deficit has swelled to $16 billion

[Wigmeister General]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012...governor-says/

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California's budget deficit has swelled to a projected $16 billion -- much larger than had been predicted just months ago -- and will force severe cuts to schools and public safety if voters fail to approve tax increases in November, Gov. Jerry Brown said Saturday.

The Democratic governor said the shortfall grew from $9.2 billion in January in part because tax collections have not come in as high as expected and the economy isn't growing as fast as hoped for. The deficit has also risen because lawsuits and federal requirements have blocked billions of dollars in state cuts.

"This means we will have to go much farther and make cuts far greater than I asked for at the beginning of the year," Brown said in an online video. "But we can't fill this hole with cuts alone without doing severe damage to our schools. That's why I'm bypassing the gridlock and asking you, the people of California, to approve a plan that avoids cuts to schools and public safety."


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012...#ixzz1uijIurrW

[Len Myers]

At least the diversity programs won't be hit.

[Mr. B]

I'm sure the reason the budget is much larger than expected was that they were basing it on a very rosy scenario.

On the other hand, Californians are certainly among the most highly taxed people in the US, and they're not getting that much for what they're already paying. And the business climate in this state is just absolutely horrid.

And, of course, it's always the sob stories, i.e., schools and public safety will need draconian cuts. Well, public employee pensions are definitely killing us.

Of course, just a couple months ago I posted this:

"From the mid-1980s to 2005, California's population grew by 10 million, while Medicaid recipients soared by seven million; tax filers paying income taxes rose by just 150,000"

And this:

"With 12% of America's population, California has one third of the nation's welfare recipients."

From this:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...682364690.html

[Wigmeister General]

Kewl.

[Incredible Hulctuary]

California is a prime example of how too much democracy is destructive.

[Len Myers]

Originally Posted by Incredible Hulctuary

California is a prime example of how too much democracy is destructive.

Sure, and my grandmother used to say

Originally Posted by grandmother

Too much is not good.

So, my little green man, how much democracy is too much?

[ShebaPoe]

Democracy is mob rule.

That's why the country was founded as a republic with restricted voting; the idea that democracy was mob rule and mob rule produces undesirable (rights-constricting) results is not new, and was well understood by the leading thinkers of the founders' era. Of course, states may govern themselves as they see fit.

I don't favor return to the restricted voting rules of the founders' era. But, one wonders if some restrictions merit consideration. Current law forbids prisoners and many convicted felons from voting. So there is precedent.

As regards CA, it's easily the state with the best geography, climate, terrain and all of that. Hands down. But, government has ruined it, and it will become insolvent.

[Atropellador]

Originally Posted by ShebaPoe

As regards CA, it's easily the state with the best geography, climate, terrain and all of that. Hands down.

It's a beautiful state with agreeable weather and few insects, but they have all those earthquakes, and occasional forest fires. And the southern part has to have its water piped in from the north. As for terrain, I hear it was tough building a coastal highway through Big Sur.

[Wigmeister General]

Voting should always be restricted to land owners and business owners exclusively.

[Incredible Hulctuary]

Originally Posted by Wigmeister General

Voting should always be restricted to land owners and business owners exclusively.

Who would vote for laws that give tax breaks and subsidies to land owners and business owners and make it more difficult for others to become land owners or business owners.

California's problem is less with too many people being allowed to vote, and much more with what they're allowed to vote for. The citizens' ability to put proposed laws and constitutional amendments on the ballot, and get those laws and amendments passed without a vote by the legislature or the governor's signature practically guaranteed that they'd vote themselves a bunch of freebies without also voting for the taxes to pay for them.