California Budget Crisis - Schwarzenegger and Dems. vs "fiscally irresponsible" Reps.

[Cleverboy]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget1-2008sep01,0,6965137.story
SACRAMENTO -- As the Legislature lurched to its close Sunday with no budget in place, California toppled its own record for fiscal dysfunction.

Never in recent memory has August ended without a spending plan, so the state is now thrust into uncharted territory.


That means one with a mechanism to limit future spending, with temporary taxes to help wipe out the state's $15.2 billion in red ink and without the multibillion-dollar borrowing from local government and transportation accounts that some lawmakers appear to favor.

Others in the Capitol say the stalemate may indeed last into next year, leaving the incoming class of legislators, many of whom will be rookies elected in November, to solve the problem.

Meanwhile, hospitals, community colleges, day care centers and other facilities dependent on state funds go without the money they need to operate.Saturday afternoon, Schwarzenegger issued a statement calling a budget proposal by legislators in his own party "not fiscally responsible." Spokesman Aaron McLear called the negotiations "a fluid process" and said Schwarzenegger is sticking to his vow: no budget, no convention. That also probably means several legislators who serve as delegates and State Sen. Abel Maldonado R-San Luis Obispo, who is scheduled to speak Wednesday, will be delayed, if they make the convention at all.
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10346368?source=most_viewed

Even MORE bad news for GOP convention planners?

~ CB

[Abstract]

Look at the photo of Ahnold. Would you **** with a politician who looked like that?

Anyway, from what I read there, I think Ahnold and the Dems are right. If you don't want to hurt social services, you can't close the budget gap without any additional income. There's no magic wand. The alternative is to try and make all services operate more efficiently, but since that will never happen, raise taxes, or stop cutting taxes when things are going well, particularly to corporations when they're making more money than ever.

[EricNau]

Two months late... inexcusable. It's reached a state of ridiculousness that I could never have expected, not even from our government.

After the deadline passes, they shouldn't be allowed to leave until they pass a budget. After three days the people can revoke their food privileges, and after five days we could revoke their bathroom privileges. From that point, I guarantee a decision will be reached within 5 hours, tops.

I'm sick of it. Come this November no incumbents allowed.

[mactastic]

Funny that Schwartzenegger now faces the same problems that he argued were a reason to kick Grey Davis out of office.

If he had any sense of decency, he would now resign after admitting that he was no better than Davis at solving the state's budget problems.

[TheAnswer]

Two months late... inexcusable. It's reached a state of ridiculousness that I could never have expected, not even from our government.

After the deadline passes, they shouldn't be allowed to leave until they pass a budget. After three days the people can revoke their food privileges, and after five days we could revoke their bathroom privileges. From that point, I guarantee a decision will be reached within 5 hours, tops.

I'm sick of it. Come this November no incumbents allowed.

We should move the election for state offices to the first week in August and pass a law that freezes campaign funds for state officials once the deadline passes.

I'm also for mandating a 10 hour - 6 day workweek, wherein state officials are required to stay in Sacramento for a month prior to the deadline. If they pass the deadline, they're required to stay in Sacramento for an entire year without returning to their districts.

[EricNau]

64 days late, and into our third month without a budget, yet no sign of a compromise in sight.

At this point we might as well give up on this year and start working on next year's budget; we might even make the deadline. :rolleyes:

[SMM]

Could one, or more, of my CA friends shed a little light on what the issues are here? The executive overview would be great. I have caught bits and pieces, but really do not understand what is going on. Unfortunately, I do not have time to do my own research right now.

Thanks :)

[killr_b]

Maybe it would help if I told you the difference between "a budget" and "gross cash receipts."

If I make $100 per week and I tell my wife that her "budget" is $50 per week for the expenses of the house, she never knows how much money there really is. Then, lets say groceries go up in price, she says to me, "hey, the new cost of eating brings our monthly expenses for the house to $60 per week. I need a "budget increase" of $10 per week." And instead of telling her what the "gross cash receipts" are and that there is plenty of money to cover the increase, I tell her she has to get a job, or second job, to cover the increase.

THE BUDGET IS A SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They NEVER tell you the "gross cash receipts" of our state, which means we NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE ACTUALLY HAVE.

What's the first thing the IRS asks for? The total of your gross cash receipts.