Posted on 11/25/2008 8:43:40 PM PST by SmithL
Sacramento, Calif. (AP) -- Republican state lawmakers on Tuesday blocked the Democrats' $17 billion proposal to address part of California's fiscal meltdown, leaving the state on track for a cash derailment this spring.
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass said she was disappointed that termed-out Republicans refused to step out of their ideological corners and accept a combination of $8.1 billion in cuts and $8.1 billion in tax increases. She said leaders would return next week to take up the challenge again.
"We only have a couple of months before the state runs out of cash," said Bass, a Democrat. "And we put forward a very responsible package ... And so to vote no on cuts, vote no on revenues is ... obstructing our progress."
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called Tuesday's special legislative session vote a "total failure" of the Legislature, saying Democrats didn't provide an economic stimulus proposal while chastising Republicans for not presenting their own plan.
"You could see it's like kindergarten up there, pointing fingers at each other," Schwarzenegger said.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
What ever happened to Arnold’s plan to borrow $7 billion from the federal gov’t?
Why does Calif. have perpetual budget crises?
Why was it that this year, just a week after they allegedly balanced the budget for the fiscal year of July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009, they announced that a huge mid-year deficit was expected????
How do they do things in Sacramento?
Are we taxed too little, in a high tax state such as Calif. or is it possible that gov’t spends too much?????
They did present a plan. It's called the "No new taxes" plan. Now all the libs have to do is decide which of their giveaways to cut.
$14 bill a year in services to illegal aliens
Here's one reason, right here: California's waste board pays $132,178 to sit around and talk about waste.
The Dems can't even spend enough for Arnie.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Dilbert, your innocence is refreshing, but I have lived in California for 20 years and we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Democrats have run the legislature for the entire time and they waltz around like Paris Hilton with her father’s credit card and no spending limit.
Gold, we’ve had polite exchanges before on this forum. Where’d you move to in Colorado? I’ve always been partial to Co Springs but can’t convince the better half to move, and she doesn’t think highly of Co Spr.
We live in North County San Diego which is the last normal coastal region in the state. The rest of it, from Los Angeles to Oregon, can fall in the ocean after an earthquake for all I care.
Sounds like about $20 billion per year. Lay off 50,000 state employees and we'll balance the budget. Or lay off 40,000 and pay the prison guards a reasonable salary.
Go GOP! Don't give an inch!
If there's any part of CA that's "slip-sliding away" toward backslidden CONservatism, it's our southern extremity, lately!!!
I think that was actually Dilbert’s point...
You need to get out more. Other than Los Angeles and the Bay Area, California is a slice of America's heartland. Sure North County is a nice conservative area, but there are some real liberals sent to Sacramento from San Diego County including lesbian State Senator Christine Kehoe. Oh and then there's the DA Bonnie Dumanis, she's "one of the girls" too. Of course, Congressman Bob Filner is a hard core liberal if there ever was one.
We all live in our own nice conservative bastions, my corner of Sacramento County is as conservative as North County SD, and the rest of Northern California is even MORE conservative than where you are, but remember the liberals are everywhere, in every county and every state. So lighten up on the California bashing.
Sierra, while I don’t disagree with you, the lovely little enclaves like Sierra towns are hardly representative anymore of California. I’ve lived here all my life — born in LA — and I remember when Los Angeles was a normal place to live and was overwhelmingly Republican to boot. Yes, Sierra towns are darling but the Central Valley is full of illegals — especially the schools — so I hardly consider that very traditionally American. And all across America the old-fashioned towns like the ones along Hwy 49 (where I presume you live) are being taken over by wealthy liberals who are dragging down the politics. Why do you think Colorado is now Democratic, and that Montana leans increasingly that way?
Your snobbery (of sorts) leaks through your post, unfortunately. I’ll take prosperous North County San Diego suburbs any day over redneck-y small towns in the Sierra.
Pretending that I give a hoot about liberals in SD proper is like me ascribing all the drugged-out, vacant-stared wierdos in the Sierras as being your second cousins. You ought to do less stereotyping.
Oh, and by the way, we ignore the idiots in the south part of the county. Life is just fine north of La Jolla.
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