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Big hazard for Jerry Brown's new tax plan
Sacramento Bee ^ | 3/16/12 | Dan Walters

Posted on 03/16/2012 7:43:45 AM PDT by SmithL

During a stream-of-consciousness speech to a gathering of police chiefs this week, Jerry Brown noted that during his first governorship, personal income taxes generated about a third of the state's revenue, but since have become a dominant source.

The result, he continued, was "more volatility" in the state's revenue, which resulted in "a more or less constant state" of deficits.

That's absolutely correct.

When income taxes spike upward, politicians and voters squander windfalls on difficult-to-lower spending, and when they plummet – as they always eventually do – the state is then left with multibillion-dollar gaps.

Brown told the top cops that he's trying to "deleverage" by bringing state income and outgo into closer balance, citing the meltdown in Greece as an example of what happens when the two sides of the fiscal equation cleave apart.

A worthy goal.

Why, then, would Brown embrace a fiscal plan that would make the state's revenue even more volatile by making them even more dependent on how well a handful of high-income Californians are doing in stocks and other speculative investments, while locking additional billions of dollars of spending into the state constitution?

The answer: political expediency.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: classwarfare; goldenstate; moonbeam; taxandspend
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Birds gotta fly,
fish gotta swim, and
Rats gotta tax!

1 posted on 03/16/2012 7:43:49 AM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

For liberals and socialists around the world, the sh!t is hitting the fan...and it a beautiful thing to behold.


2 posted on 03/16/2012 7:51:17 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
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To: SmithL; Mrs. B.S. Roberts

FISH GOTTA SWIM
BIRDS GOTTA FLY
RAISE MY TAXES EVEN MORE
I SAY GOODBYE!!


3 posted on 03/16/2012 8:05:27 AM PDT by CaptainAmiigaf ( NY Times: We print the news as it fits our views.)
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To: SmithL
the Kalifornia democrats in the legislature and the governor remind me of the vacuum guy on the movie The Yellow Submarine where he sucks up everything in sight and then himself, leaving nothing. The only thing left for the people of the state is to wait to hit the bottom because it's already gone off the cliff.
4 posted on 03/16/2012 8:07:02 AM PDT by drypowder
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To: RoosterRedux

Dan Walters is a “Johnny Come Lately” to the discussion of the real problem here in California. Walters and the Bee have usually supported the RATS and the State Employees. Now that the can won’t move down the road any more, the “media” is trying to distance itself from its dearth of reporting the real truth for the past 30 years. They loved Brown when he was last governor, when Brown put the wheels in motion that have lead us to where we are. Brown, and his crooked Chief of Staff and later corrupt governor, Gray Davis are responsible for where we are today. It’s fun to watch Brown trying to undo what he did without really undoing it!


5 posted on 03/16/2012 8:12:32 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: vette6387
It's funny to watch liberals like Brown twist themselves into pretzels to avoid dealing with the truth.

There's a wolf at the front door, but Brown thinks the solution to the problem is to rearrange the furniture and defrost the freezer.

6 posted on 03/16/2012 8:21:34 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
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To: SmithL

If you all think California is a basket case now, just wait til they get a 9.1 earthquake in Southern California.
ALL food and water is imported from distant places for those in South Cal.
Feather River in North for water, central valley and mid west for their food.
Good luck if the roads, Rail and water delivery systems are destroyed.


7 posted on 03/16/2012 8:51:37 AM PDT by Joe Boucher ((FUBO) Hey Mitt, F-you too pal)
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To: SmithL

Here’s an idea for state legislators - tie the Governor’s pay to his performance. The Governor can’t balance the budget?....no pay check. You’d have to run like a racehorse to get out of the way of the Democrats leaving office.


8 posted on 03/16/2012 9:02:36 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Joe Boucher
We have lots of problems in California for sure, and a major earthquake would be devastating, but I had to reply to your post.

First of all, a 9.1 earthquake would be the largest temblor in the recorded history of the lower 48 United States. Not impossible, but unlikely.

Second not ALL water and food in So Cal comes from somewhere else. I live within walking distance of a fresh water reservoir that is not normally used for drinking but could fill in during an emergency. There are many such man made lakes throughout the area. Depending on the season, runoff could be captured, and there are substantial ground water sources to tap.

As for food, agriculture is one of the most misunderstood facets of life in California. Bakersfield county is the fourth largest food producer in the country. San Diego County ranks number 10. The Chino area still has major dairy farms. Even Orange County still produces over $150 million in food crops each year.

Even if major roads, airports, and rail lines were destroyed, there are major shipping ports from Port Hueneme to San Diego. It's almost unthinkable that any earthquake would destroy them all. With thousands of Marines based at Camp Pendeleton, Barstow, and Twenty Nine Palms, major Naval assets in San Diego, Air Force cargo planes at March Air Force base, and Army personnel at Fort Irwin, there's plenty of military assitance on call.

It will not be pretty when the big one hits, but it won't be the end of the world either.

9 posted on 03/16/2012 9:21:42 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: blueunicorn6

They tried that will the paychecks of the state legislators.

The state legislature went to court for the right to deem the budget balanced, even if its not


10 posted on 03/16/2012 9:48:12 AM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: SoCal Pubbie

Kalipornia also has HUGE oil reserves but they won’t allow them to be tapped.


11 posted on 03/16/2012 9:50:45 AM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: GeronL

Well, if you can get away with calling an apple a banana, then everything’s fruit salad.


12 posted on 03/16/2012 9:54:07 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: RoosterRedux

If Brown’s “tax initiative(s)” (he now has two going) fail, he’s going to fail, which I consider just deserts for his first two terms as governor. I don’t like the prospects of a financial meltdown, but it’s all that’s left. The RATs are going to spend until the till is empty. It’s all they have left owing to their union “masters” and the welfare recipients, who have them by the balls.


13 posted on 03/16/2012 9:57:11 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: Joe Boucher

“If you all think California is a basket case now....”

I’ll repost my comment to another jerk from a day or two ago.

That’s a truly disgusting comment!! Jerk! FR is supposed to be for intelligent discourse not stupid, ill-informed remarks. I didn’t know that a double-wide had internet service. Say hello to your wife, er I mean your first cousin for me. Why don’t you head over to the DU website with your trash!


14 posted on 03/16/2012 10:03:38 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: Joe Boucher
No, a 9.1 won't happen in Southern CA. Quake size is a factor of the fault length, there just isn't a fault that long. The San Andreas may be long enough but ruptures along short segments, producing smaller quakes.

There's the Cascadia fault off Northern CA-Oregon-Washington which apparently did produce a 9 back in 1700.

15 posted on 03/16/2012 10:44:04 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Santorum: 18-point loss, voted for Sotomayor, proposed $550M on top of $900M Amtrak budget...)
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To: vette6387

Hey ignorant fool,
about 1978 the L.A. County Sheriff’s office started having food riot control exercises for exactly what I’ve stated/
But don’t let the facts make you look toooo stoopid.
Most of L.A. county water comes via aquaduct from the Feather River hundreds of mile north,
Check out where all the food comes from for all the millions as there aren’t too many food farms in the south Calif area cept citrus.
And as for MAJOR fault lines even a simpleton like yourself can check them out on a map, if you can read one.
But again don’t let reality get ya.


16 posted on 03/16/2012 1:45:35 PM PDT by Joe Boucher ((FUBO) Hey Mitt, F-you too pal)
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To: SmithL
I wonder when California will institute a departure tax (fee) for every person and business permanently leaving the state. Won't that cure their debt problem? No? But tax and spend is how we keep everything running, right. So what if taxes are rising, regulations on businesses are onerous, and both people and businesses are fleeing the state.

What's wrong with this picture?

17 posted on 03/16/2012 2:07:21 PM PDT by MasterGunner01 (11)
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To: SmithL

This isn’t even about class warfare, the CA economy cannot sustain the spending levels demanded even having deployed all manner of taxes, property, sales, income, and tinkering with rates. A time comes when the law of diminishing returns takes effect.


18 posted on 03/16/2012 3:16:09 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Santorum: 18-point loss, voted for Sotomayor, proposed $550M on top of $900M Amtrak budget...)
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To: Joe Boucher
“..there aren’t too many food farms in the south Calif area cept citrus.”

Fallbrook, in San Diego County, claims the title “Avocado Capital of the World.” Strawberries, tomatoes and many other sub-tropical fruits are also grown in the over 60 farms there. San Diego County overall produces over $200 million annually in avocados and tomatoes.

Grapes, milk, almonds, carrots, citrus, pistachios, cattle, hay, alfalfa, pomegranates, potatoes, tomatoes, eggs, bell peppers, wheat, and onions worth over $3 BILLION annually are raised in Kern County.

Orange County produces over $44 million worth of strawberries and vegetables per year.

San Bernardino County boasts over $427 million worth of agricultural products per year, with about $300 million of that in dairy products including cattle.

Riverside County produces another $200 million in dairy products, and another $100 million in grapes.

In Imperial County they raise $260 million in heifers and steers every year and grow $250 million in lettuce.

Ventura County adds another almost $2 BILLION dollars in strawberries, celery, lemons, raspberries, and avocados.

Finally, Santa Barbara County can offer another $700 million in wine grapes, strawberries, broccoli, cattle & vegetable crops.

So, when the big one hits and the supermarkets run short, we'll start with a salad made from lettuce grown in Imperial County. Then comes the steak and potatoes from Kern County topped with butter and sour cream from Riverside. Your choice of vegetables from Santa Barbara or Orange County. Finally, for dessert, strawberries from Ventura with whipped cream from San Bernardino.

Of course we'll want something to drink. There will be plenty of milk of course. Beer from the Miller brewery in Irwindale or the dozens of micro breweries throughout the area can fill the need for suds. There's plenty of wine from Temecula or Santa Barbara. Heck, there's a winery I could walk to right here in the OC.

What's that? You don't like beef? Grab your fishing pole in that case. There's 80 lakes in So Cal and rivers too. You can catch some bass, trout, bluegill, catfish, carp, red dear or crappie. Now there's a big ocean too, and there you'll find barracuda, bass, halibut, and yellowtail, among others. How about a little lobster to go with you steak?

So, what are you having for dinner?

19 posted on 03/25/2012 8:50:18 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: Joe Boucher

“Hey ignorant fool....”

Nice! Let me ask you, how is that you have internet service in your double wide? Do you had a ten base T line run out to your outhouse so you can surf while you crap? Please give my regards to your wife ( er, first cousin). I thought FR was a place for respectful dialogue not name calling blather.
As far as California is concerned, since I live in the “producing part of the state,” I am hoping that the 9.0 happens along the Tehachapi’s and SoCal is gone!


20 posted on 03/25/2012 4:02:52 PM PDT by vette6387
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