you Californians really got whacked today.

[onethatcares]

jeesus on a harley, you got Shock Doctrine handed to you on a platter.

I was wondering if the cuts to education/welfare/social services/ the park system and just about every other item are going to cause the feds to use the camps in the mid west. I just caught the msn news story on the budget agreement and i'm freakin shocked.

Good luck to all of you. :hi:

[Taverner]

1. Thanks - Ahhhnold just fucked us violently and without KY

And he wasn't even nice to give us a reacharound

Not only that, he is stealing from the cities, which are already reduced to handing out parking tickets for moping to make up their shortfall.

[wryter2000]

11. No kidding

Oakland is handing out parking tickets so frantically retailers are complaining that their customers can't park near their stores for fear of getting hit.

[EFerrari]

25. I saw that on the news.

Damn. :(

[Skittles]

40. no reacharound for you, Taverner

no INDEED

[tabatha]

2. I hope this translates to more Dem support the next election..

[joeybee12]

3. Looks like the Dem leadership in California is pretty spineless...

...agreed to all these cuts and got no concessions from the fringe Repuke minority...amazing.

[hedgehog]

4. It's possible that they figured it was better for the Republicans to be blamed

for the cuts than for the Democrats to be framed for holding up the budget.

[rucky]

5. that's not leadership. n/t

[hedgehog]

12. I'm just looking at this from the other end of the country and I've

been hearing stories about IOUs and furloughs.

[Taverner]

15. Yes, the state has been paying in IOUs for some time

and every Friday but 1 per month is a "Furlough Friday"

That means, they don't work (unless they have to, like much of the IT personnel) and they don't get paid for that day...

[Taverner]

14. You are absolutely right

Look - to choose not to choose is in itself a choice...

[hedgehog]

17. It's my impression the Democrats were faced with King Solomon's

choice; give the baby up or see it cut in half, and the republicans were perfectly willing to see the baby cut in half if they didn't get their way.

[Taverner]

18. You mean Arnold was perfectly willing

The Republicans really don't have a whole lot of power in the legislative arm

Executive arm, now, yeah they own that...

[petronius]

22. But in terms of a budget, as long as the Rs stick together they have a lot of power

It's why we need to get rid of those 2/3s rules - an intransigent minority has to much power to stall the process. Unfortunately, our D leaders where too pathetic to make clear that it was R stubbornness that blocked the budget and sent our bond rating into the crapper (which will cost us all more over the next few years than any tax cuts would have done)...

[joeybee12]

7. Maybe...but I think that's a stretch...the public is going to start

feeling those cuts very, very soon and someone is going to be blamed...maybe they can try and re-instate them one by one as time passes.

[petronius]

23. Except that the Rs already held up the budget, and the Ds failed to pin it on them

I'm pretty disappointed in our D 'leadership'...

[SidneyCarton]

21. The fringe repuke minority has good discipline.

And just over 1/3 of the legislature under their control. As long as the idiotic supermajority rule remains in place for state budgets, they can hold us hostage until we cave or the state implodes. I'm pissed at the state Dems too, but someone had to be an adult, or the whole state would go in one massive legislative tantrum.

still sucks though :grr:

[Xithras]

26. They threw out their own leader for DISCUSSING tax increases.

The problem with the Republican-"safe" districts is that they promote extremism. California Rethugs have repeatedly demonstrated that they have no problem eating their own if one decides to stray from the party line.

[nadinbrzezinski]

45. Under the political system we have in this state having a majority

is useless.

Remember you need 2\3 majority vote on ANY vote on taxes. They don't have that super majority, they know it. Why this state needs an up down wholesale reform of the political system.

Yes, there are talks of a Convention... as well as a whole sale review of that grand experiment stated in the early part of last century, the initiative process.

I'll be honest, we have a crazy system where the crazy minority is not only protected, but gee golly has real power.

[CountAllVotes]

6. now all Californians know ...

what kind of a slime ball gropenfailure we have here.

He is toast!

FUCK HIM.

California will recover.

Ahnold the failure will not.

[Taverner]

16. Now is the time to revamp the Recall Arnold drive..

Two wrongs might not make a right, but in this case three illegal left turns do make a right...

[KamaAina]

36. The "Total Recall"!

:thumbsup:

[inna]

44. oh man. i wish you were right on this one. nt

[tabatha]

8. Drilling and state parks closure.

http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/action/preservation/protect-our-coast-and-parks?id4=ES

[joeybee12]

10. Taht really sucks....first time in 40 years and will only net $100 million...

...in the grand scheme of things, that's not much money.

[hedgehog]

13. Any bets on how much money will be spent to keep an eye

on drilling procedures?

[wryter2000]

9. Thanks

Please keep Oaktown in your prayers. I understand this "agreement" includes cuts in money to the cities. :cry:

[SidneyCarton]

19. It was doomed to happen.

And it's not over yet, they are closing the gap at least in part by creative accounting and borrowing from the cities, we've gutted everything else, and the fat cats remain untouched.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

20. Oh, it's not THAT bad...

The plan would end health care coverage for tens of thousands of seniors and children, cut several billion dollars in state assistance to local governments and possibly lead to the early release of thousands of convicted criminals. It also would tighten requirements for welfare and other social programs and cut $2 billion from the state’s higher-education system and $9.5 billion from its public schools, which would lose thousands of teachers and staff. The entire state workforce, except forest-fire crews and the California Highway Patrol, would face a mandatory three-day furlough each month.

To generate new revenue, the agreement also would allow new oil drilling off the Santa Barbara coast.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32010922/ns/us_news-life/

...er...I take that back. It IS that bad.

[Odin2005]

43. And they are screwing the disabled, too!

They are doing the same here in MN, where Governor Timmy the Tyrant fancies himself a little Ahhhnold and is using some totally made up "authority" to cut spending by decree. Us disabled people are being screwed, my staff funding is getting reduced and that means less paid mileage to to stuff, it's fucking infuriating! :grr:

[KamaAina]

24. The cuts to In-Home Supportive Services could well force people into nursing homes.

Medicaid, you see, has to provide nursing home care, as an entitlement, to anyone who requires it. But it doesn't have to provide home- and community-based services. Those are optional. So, even though they're cheaper in the long run, most states continue to pour money down the nursing home drain. This is what we in the field call "institutional bias".

More taxpayer dollars spent overall, and less freedom for senior citizens and people with disabilities. It's a lose-lose! :eyes:

And don't'cha know, my next job might well entail trying to keep them out. Lousy economy, crappy El Nino winter ahead -- yup, time to go back...

[county worker]

27. We have to raise taxes to cover the gap but we need 3/4 vote to do that.

If there is not enough revenue and a state can not have a deficit and we can't raise taxes, how would you go about plugging the gap?

[stopbush]

28. CA needs to find a way to recover the $48-billion per year

that we send to the Feds in taxes that gets redistributed to other states.

When Reagan was president, CA received $1.01 back from the Feds for every $1 we paid in Fed taxes. That has now declined to $.77 for every $1 we send to DC in Fed taxes. That translates to $48-billion a year that was EARNED by Californians, sent to DC and then redirected to red states like AZ & NM who get $1.35 back from the Feds for every $1 they send.

Our current budget deficit is $24-billion. If we received a 90% return on the $ we send the Feds, we'd not only fund every service imaginable, we would run surpluses into infinity.

And don't tell me it doesn't make a difference. If that's true, they why bother sending ANY Fed $ back to CA? If we can do without the current $48-billion, then why not do without the entire amount we send to DC?

And don't tell me the way the Feds distribute all that change can't be changed, because it's been changed dramatically since Reagan was in office and not to CA's benefit.

I propose the 90/110 rule: no state gets less than 90% of the money back from the Feds that they send their way, and no state gets more than 110% back. We in CA will be happy to find a way to live within 90% of our earnings as long as states like NM & AZ find a way to live within 110% of their earnings.

[inna]

46. great post, but could you please provide supporting links?.... thank you! nt

[stopbush]

47. Link:

http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/15.html

[inna]

49. thanks for the link! and you make the most compelling points in your post! nt

[RainDog]

29. Ahnuld is also hurting the future of CA

because people in high tech and higher ed will not apply for jobs there when the govt isn't willing to TAX THE RICH MOTHERFUCKERS WHO CAN TAKE THE HIT to fund education, research, training...

what is happening is so stupid it defies belief.

[stopbush]

33. CAers are taxed high enough, thank you:

California's State/Local Tax Burden Above National Average
Estimated at 10.5% of income, California's state/local tax burden percentage stands at 6th highest nationally, above the national average of 9.7%. Californians pay $5,028 per capita in state and local taxes.

California's 2009 Business Tax Climate Ranks 48th
California ranks 48th in the Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate Index. The Index compares the states in five areas of taxation that impact business: corporate taxes; individual income taxes; sales taxes; unemployment insurance taxes; and taxes on property, including residential and commercial property. The ranks of neighboring states are as follows: Washington (12th), Oregon (9th), Arizona (22nd), Nevada (3rd) and Hawaii (24th).

California's Top Individual Income Tax Rate Is 4th Highest in the Nation
With seven brackets and a top rate of 10.55 percent for those earning over $1,000,000. California's individual income tax has the fourth-highest rate and one of the most highly progressive structures in the nation. In 2006, California's individual income tax collections were $1,418 per person, which ranked 6th highest nationally. Since most small businesses are S Corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships, they pay their business taxes at the rates for individuals. That makes California's taxes on small businesses some of the most burdensome in the nation.

California's Corporate Income Tax Rate is the Highest in the West
Corporations looking to relocate, or even establish, a business in the West may shy away from California, as the state's 8.84% flat rate is the highest corporate tax rate in the West. Nationally, only eight states have a higher top corporate tax rate than California. In 2007, state-level corporate tax collections (excluding local taxes) in California were $307 per capita, which ranked 6th highest nationally.

California's Sales Tax Rate Is Highest in the Nation
California levies a 8.25% general sales or use tax on consumers, which is the highest in the nation and above than the national median of 6%. Local governments are also permitted to levy another 1.5%. State and local governments combined collected $1,117 per capita in general sales taxes in 2006, which ranks 13th highest nationally. California's statewide gasoline tax stands at 39.9 cents per gallon and is the 2nd highest in the nation, while its cigarette tax stands at $0.87 per pack of twenty (31rst highest nationally). Additionally, California's general sales tax and various municipal sales taxes are levied on the sale of gasoline. The sales tax was adopted in 1933, the gasoline tax in 1923 and the cigarette tax in 1959.

Property Tax Collections Slightly Below Average
Despite Proposition 13, California ranks in the middle of the pack when the states are ranked on combined state/local property tax collections. Proposition 13 favors people who have owned the same property many years by only permitting re-evaluations at resale. As in most states, local governments in California collect far more in property taxes than the state does. California's localities collected $968.01 per capita in property taxes in fiscal year 2006, the latest year for which the Census Bureau has published state-by-state data. At the state level, California collected $62.59 per capita during FY 2006. That brought its combined state/local property taxes to $1,030.60 per capita, ranked 28th highest nationally.


Federal Tax Burdens and Expenditures: California is a Donor State
California taxpayers receive less federal funding per dollar of federal taxes paid than the average state. In 2005, California taxpayers received only 78 cents in federal expenditures for every dollar in federal taxes. In 1995, by contrast, California taxpayers were receiving 94 cents in federal expenditures for each tax dollar.

Source: http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/15.html

[inna]

34. tax the fat cats, not the working people. nt

[stopbush]

51. Who do you consider a fat cat in CA?

I make a low six-figure salary and can just barely feel comfortable about making ends meet. My wife makes about $30k per year at her part-time job. We have two school aged kids. Our cars are 14 years old and 9 years old, respectively. We pay $2700 a month to rent a small 3-bdrm home. Gas is currently $2.75 a gallon. Prices at our grocery stores are well above the national average.

In almost any other state, I'd be considered a fat cat. Here in CA, I'm middle class, and not even upper middle class, and that's because it is very expensive to live here.

The statistics show that Californians of ALL income levels are currently taxed at a higher rate than almost anybody else in the country. Nobody here needs to be taxed more. We simply need to get a fair share back on the taxes we currently send to the Feds. To do so would mean the the 38 freeloader states would have to learn how to live without their yearly bailouts in Fed tax $ that are collected in CA, NY, NJ, MA and other blue states.

[devilgrrl]

52. In California I would think a fatcat would be someone in the $500,000+ range.

Low six figures is lower middle class in California.

[taught_me_patience]

48. Yep... taxes are high enough

We need to get our fair share from the federal government.

Our sales tax is 9.75% here in Los Angeles... there is no more juice left to squeeze.

[FiveGoodMen]

30. Bet they're really happy they recalled Gray Davis now, huh?

[Kid Dynamite]

31. Another Stimulus miracle!

[lunatica]

32. All 10 UC campuses are facing furloughs and layoffs (I work at UC Berkeley).

As of now it looks like it will start in September and go on for 12 months, after which everyone's time and salaries will go automatically back to normal. I have my doubts about that because I suspect things won't be better in 12 months. Depending on our salaries we will get from 4% furloughs for the lowest paid people to 10% for the highest paid. The only people not affected as far as salary is concerned are those who get paid from grants.

[Liberal_in_LA]

38. yup. Cal State facing 10% cuts, Community colleges still calculating...

[dana_b]

53. yep. I work at UCSF

and I too doubt that it will go back to the way it was after a year. also we have the unions that will probably strike over this. I'm on their side but they may not get much sympathy from most.

[krabigirl]

35. that's why we need to vote to legalize and tax marijuana. hope it gets on the 2010 ballot.

[defendandprotect]

37. kick

[earth mom]

39. Anyone got a link for those of us who don't watch the corporate media bastards?

I grew up in So Cal and still have friends and family there. This sounds bad. :yoiks:

[Mind_your_head]

41. As goes California, so goes the nation.....n/t

[Odin2005]

42. CA is becoming a failed state.

:(

[Mind_your_head]

50. Oh BS @ failed state. California has a LOT to offer....has a LOT to offer

Arnie's just doing what the RW wants him to sell. FAIL.

There is no good reason for California to 'fail'. It's a very, very rich area ~ in ALL respects/aspects.