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Posted: 6/30/2003 3:07:04 PM EDT
No budget deal in California, another deadline missed

Monday June 30, 2003
By TOM CHORNEAU
Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO (AP) Carrying on an inglorious tradition dating back decades, California lawmakers will end the fiscal year Monday again without a new budget in place.

The situation is not unique, in fact, six other states Connecticut, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Oregon and Pennsylvania have also not adopted a budget by the July 1 deadline.

While each state has its own set of political conditions, nowhere are the stakes higher than California.

Facing a record $38.2 billion budget shortfall and operating for the first time completely on borrowed money, lawmakers appeared no closer to solving the state's fiscal crisis than they were months ago.

Without a new budget, the state is unable legally to make millions of dollars in on-time payments to schools, community colleges, courts, state suppliers and others.

The salaries of the governor, the legislators, state appointees and about 1,000 non-civil service employees will also stop Tuesday, although most of the state's 200,000 workers will continue receiving their full pay at least for now.

State Controller Steve Westly says the state only has enough cash to get them through mid-August.

Gov. Gray Davis, who spent the weekend in New York celebrating his mother's 80th birthday, expressed disappointment that the deadline was not met.

[b]``We still have an opportunity to find common ground. Failure to do so would be irresponsible and dangerous,'' Davis said.[/b] ``Critical funding for hospitals, nursing homes, community colleges and small businesses is at stake.''

But the likelihood of a budget agreement anytime soon appears remote. Democrats, who hold big majorities in both houses, need Republican support to approve a spending plan. California is one of the few states that require two-thirds majority approval for the budget and Republicans have more than enough votes to block passage as long as they want.

Two Republicans in the state Senate and six in the Assembly will eventually be needed to make a compromise.

Davis has proposed a budget plan that includes a mix of service cuts, borrowing and higher taxes to bridge the gap.

Republicans say they won't support new taxes, while Democrats are unwilling to cut enough to balance the budget without new taxes.

Last week a near-$100 billion budget from Democrats was shot down twice in the Senate. Republican Senate leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga said even with a half-cent increase in the sales tax, spending was still more than $10 billion out of balance with income.

A similar Democratic budget plan drew little interest in the Assembly last Friday and although leadership said they would spend the weekend in negotiations, no new ideas are on the horizon.

California lawmakers have missed the state's constitutional deadline of June 15 for adoption of a budget 18 times in the last 22 years. The Legislature has begun the new fiscal year without a plan in place nine times in the past 13 years.

Last year's budget was delayed a record 76 days.
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 3:30:28 PM EDT
[#1]
This is like the third time I've seen Drudge post a "Kali state gov't about to see budget implode!" banner in a year.  Nothing ever happens.
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 3:39:44 PM EDT
[#2]
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 3:41:52 PM EDT
[#3]
Funny.....we're facing a government shutdown in Jersey because the Repubs won't agree to a veritable cornucopia of taxes and fee hikes the Dems want to fund their pet projects. Difference is, when they threaten government shutdown, most of us don't care. We know it doesn't mean too much....
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 3:48:31 PM EDT
[#4]
It isn't going to be an earthquake that destroys this state. I know a few people wish it would.

Ka is falling apart like a cheap suit due to the liberals.They have RUINED this state.I hope they reap what they sow.

Link Posted: 6/30/2003 4:18:37 PM EDT
[#5]
I hope the Republicans hold the line on this one, but I expect them to cave just like every other year.
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 4:48:23 PM EDT
[#6]
Would CA sink already... we've waited long enough.
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 4:58:20 PM EDT
[#7]
Davis proposed a budget that is higher than last years.  How is that a CUT IN SPENDING?  

Fun to see if Republican's have the balls to hold the line.  I'm thinking they will compromise very little.  The Dems have not even agreed to go back to Gann type limits that involve inflation and population.  Must be too humiliating to accept ANY constraints. the fucking whiny asses.  

The quoted budget deficit of $38.5 billion is actually $29 billion as the Dems are claiming as CUTS items that have no funding and are not even legal obligations of the state yet.
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 5:06:34 PM EDT
[#8]
Will someone please get me out of this state!
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 5:22:48 PM EDT
[#9]
They need to declare chapter 11, fire 40% of the workforce, force 30% concessions on the those remaining. Why do the Kalifornians think the answer is so difficult.  Just spend less.  
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 5:32:29 PM EDT
[#10]
Oh fun..
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 10:09:28 PM EDT
[#11]
Can't we just raise the taxes on all democracts, liberals and communitsts to something like 55%?  They got us into this mess, let THEM bail us out.  [;)]
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 11:01:27 PM EDT
[#12]
Well Willie Brown is in Hardball right now and he says thet Gray Davis is a great governor that has done nothing wrong and is doing a fine job.

According to Willie its the republicans fault.
Link Posted: 6/30/2003 11:56:04 PM EDT
[#13]


Does being on the border of Mexico, with the illegal immigrants coming over, have anything to do with California's state budget problems?
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 1:07:32 AM EDT
[#14]
The power contracts Davis signed at high prices have a lot to do with it. State spending went up fast in the 90's when revenues were climbing.

California needs to be split up. It's too big to govern. The state government is big enough to be descructive, but dull enough to avoid citizen interest.
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 10:20:35 AM EDT
[#15]
The salaries of the governor, the legislators, state appointees and about 1,000 non-civil service employees will also stop Tuesday
View Quote


And this is a bad thing?  I say this should stay this way for at least 10 years.
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 10:28:29 AM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
California needs to be split up. It's too big to govern.
View Quote


I don't disagree, but this would likely suck for the country as a whole.  CA North, and South would both have a liberal urban center, and the fact that it would be a new state would likely add two more Democratic senators to Washington.  No Thanks!
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 10:37:55 AM EDT
[#17]
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 4:24:15 PM EDT
[#18]
Hell I wouldnt mind splitting us into 3 states. Nothern, Central, Southern,
Id love for the central valley to rape southern Cal on the price of water that we have to give them
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 4:41:08 PM EDT
[#19]
``We still have an opportunity to find common ground. Failure to do so would be irresponsible and dangerous,'' Davis said. ``Critical funding for hospitals, nursing homes, community colleges and small businesses is at stake.''
View Quote


HUH?

What happened to private business making it on their own with the profits they make?

[b]Hospitals?[/b]  A single aspirin costs $15 why do they need funding?
[b]Nursing[/b] homes? the cost per year per old person is enough for me to live for 3 years.
[b]Colleges?[/b] get their money from the students.
[b]Small business?[/b] their a business, they make their own money....

After all the problems CAli has I bet all of the worthless people and Illegal mexicans are getting their welfare and free food stamps on time!!!
I say stop funding all of the worthless and illegal, and see exactly how much the have then.


BISHOP
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 4:54:24 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
No budget deal in California, another deadline missed

Monday June 30, 2003
By TOM CHORNEAU
Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO (AP) Carrying on an inglorious tradition dating back decades, California lawmakers will end the fiscal year Monday again without a new budget in place.

The situation is not unique, in fact, six other states Connecticut, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Oregon and Pennsylvania have also not adopted a budget by the July 1 deadline.

While each state has its own set of political conditions, nowhere are the stakes higher than California.

Facing a [red]record $38.2 billion budget shortfall and operating for the first time completely on borrowed money[/red], lawmakers appeared no closer to solving the state's fiscal crisis than they were months ago.
View Quote


Errr, excuse me. In my life, if I had to operate on borrowed $$, it would mean bankruptcy.

I'm not an economist, but isn't Kalifornia bankrupt???  [:D]
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 5:03:31 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Errr, excuse me. In my life, if I had to operate on borrowed $$, it would mean bankruptcy.

I'm not an economist, but isn't Kalifornia bankrupt???  [:D]
View Quote


No, silly. They still have checks.
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 5:09:57 PM EDT
[#22]
Just an idea - while totally unfair...

Sell a $50 per item non cancelable exemption to the Woos/Roberti ban. - Kind of like an NFA tax.

I know its bullshit - But I also know many people would gladly fork over the cash to be able to get a pre-ban config with STANDARD (not reduced) capacity mags.
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 5:16:46 PM EDT
[#23]
Don't forget about the recall.

CRC
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 5:19:41 PM EDT
[#24]
How about this:

All Kali gun owners get together and offer to voluntarily contribute money to the state to help out with the budget fuckup that Davis is mostly repsonsible for...but only in exchange for one of the following, at least:

An amendment to the Kali state constitution that states,  "The right of the people to keep and bear arms of any type not prohibited by federal legislation shall not be infringed.  No county, city, municipality, or other local government by any title or name shall engage in any activity that in any way, shape, or form restricts the right of all legal citizens of this State to own, possess, use, or carry any firearm of any type for any peaceful or self defensive purpose, save those expressly prohibited by Federal law."

Retroactive, of course.  No grandfathering.


The second option:  Davis steps down as governor immediately.



Long odds either way, I know.

Either one is pure fantasy.

CJ
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 5:34:57 PM EDT
[#25]
Yes, we're operating on a short term loan of $11 billion, I believe.  

The scary thing is we may go through the very same thing next year if the economy doesn't pick up.  Just like we had extraordinary capital gains we have had extraordinary losses and those can depress tax revenues for more than a year.  

Check out Nevada.  They have a Republican majority and the Dems are holding out for tax increases on businesses and gambling before they will OK budget.  They too have a 2/3 budget approval level by law.  They are at present in violation of the Constitution that compels them to fund education by July 1.
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 5:51:46 PM EDT
[#26]
I have the answer to this states problems, and it really is quite simple.

Right now the state spends an average of $7500 per student per year..  To put that in context, the best private HS in NorCal, Jesuit H.S., is only $5000/year. California schools take up 1/3 of the budget and are dead of all 50 states in test scores.

So the answer is thus: California needs to get out of the k-9 education business.  All school property and equipement should be sold.  Sold to companies that will start up Charter schools payed directly by the parents themselves.  

State testing and standards will still be required and can easily be enforced.  Jr. Colleges and other state colleges will still be run by the state as normal.  Yes, some schools would be better than others but all will have to meet state student standards or the companies "education" license would get pulled.

Proerty taxes can be cut to reflect this change.  Profits from the Lottery, which is played majorily by poorer people, can help provide education funds for the poor so that at least meet state standards.  Also, the Charter Schools can be taxed on their profits which can be used to pay the oversight needs.

The other benefit to this plan is that it would break the Teachers Association (ie Socialist Union), the most powerful, wasteful and evil force in California.

Needs a little more ironing, but the plan is solid.

Sgtar15
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 6:18:28 PM EDT
[#27]
sgtar15,

The Teachers Association is the most powerful force in the universe.  They will never relinquish power, voluntarily or by force.  Their goal is to assimilate the youth of California into their evil socialist regime.  In another 10 years it will be mission accomplished.
Link Posted: 7/1/2003 6:33:55 PM EDT
[#28]
is this where i can say "feinstein sucks donkey d*cks"?
Link Posted: 7/2/2003 12:46:53 AM EDT
[#29]
Quoted:
``We still have an opportunity to find common ground. Failure to do so would be irresponsible and dangerous,'' Davis said. ``Critical funding for hospitals, nursing homes, community colleges and small businesses is at stake.''
View Quote


HUH?

What happened to private business making it on their own with the profits they make?

[b]Hospitals?[/b]  A single aspirin costs $15 why do they need funding?
[b]Nursing[/b] homes? the cost per year per old person is enough for me to live for 3 years.
[b]Colleges?[/b] get their money from the students.
[b]Small business?[/b] their a business, they make their own money....

After all the problems CAli has I bet all of the worthless people and Illegal mexicans are getting their welfare and free food stamps on time!!!
I say stop funding all of the worthless and illegal, and see exactly how much the have then.


BISHOP
View Quote


We voted on cutting health benefits to illegals via prop 187 but were denied by the Federal courts.  
You obviously do not know the costs involved for hospitals in providing health care especially the county hospitals who rarely get paid for their services but are required to provide them. Do you think any private hospital wants to except Medical patients?  They are forced to many times because the patient is brought in via emergency.  They get reimbursed pennies on the dollars for the care they provide.
I can't think of any College that gets all its funding from students. Why do you think schools put so much emphasis on their football and basketball programs? Alumni contribute huge amounts of money to the schools.
BTW, Last I remember community colleges and county hospitals are not private businesses
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