Posted on 04/14/2005 8:04:27 AM PDT by SmithL
THE LAST TIME I had been in the California governor's inner office for a one-on-one interview, I was meeting with Gov. Gray Davis, who was in deep denial about the impending recall election. I was there again Tuesday to talk to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. How was it different? Well, let's just say that Schwarzenegger keeps his "Conan the Barbarian" sword in a lined box near the head of a long conference table.
"Go ahead," the governor told me after the interview, "pick it up."
I wielded the Savage Sword of Conan, although my stomach slice was cut short when it met with the corner of an antique chest. (Warning to Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez: Schwarzenegger says that the sword is so heavy that a mere nudge can send a chunk of flesh flying.)
Schwarzenegger's message: Just because he pulled his support for a pension-reform proposal to move new state and local government workers to a 401(k)-type pension plan, he still aims to reform the system; he isn't retreating. He just wants a measure that provides for death and disability benefits.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Whoops.
He should keep the hand from Terminator in his office too! That would rock!
Well, as the movie said, "Later Conan became a king by his own hand, but that is another story."
As I said before when I first heard of Arnold becoming the Gov of Cal.
Yes, he's a RINO, but what does that say about California, that ANY man could win under the (R) ticket?
Yea, well just like I predicted...
Vote for McClintock or Pay$ the Con$equence$
and that's exactly what everyone is doing this week.
Making out HUGE checks to California...
well we elected a RINO in Pete Wilson and it took us ten years to elect another "R"...and it'll be another ten years after this clown leaves before we'll be able to elect another "R"...
meanwhile the debt hole just keeps getting deeper and deeper...
"The 13% Solution"
Tom McClintock
12/13/2003
"Have you ever had to make serious cuts 15 percent or more in your family budget because of an unexpected job-loss or unforeseen expense? Its not pleasant, but it's not impossible. And it's also not permanent. As long as youre willing to face your financial problems squarely, you can be sure that the hard times won't last forever and things will improve.
But if you're not willing to face those problems if you paper over your debt by borrowing and continue to spend as if that debt didnt exist -- those hard times will follow you far into the future.
State government is no different. And as the new administration decides which road it will take, it is important to understand the simple math of the states finances.
Californias current budget deficit is caused by two actions Davis took last year to paper over his mismanagement: he illegally tripled the car tax and he attempted to borrow $12.6 billion unconstitutionally.
Governor Schwarzenegger rescinded the illegal tax increase on his first day in office. Its important to note the word "illegal." Not one of the conditions required to raise the car tax had been met, and it was only a matter of time before the courts ordered the money to be returned to taxpayers with interest. By acting now, he saved California from having a multi-billion dollar hole blown in a future budget by court order.
But repairing this problem requires that local governments be reimbursed for their losses. In addition, the courts have already invalidated $1.9 billion of Davis borrowing plan, further deepening the deficit.
According to the Legislative Analysts Office, these developments mean that the state will end up spending $76.9 billion this year, with only $74.2 billion in revenue.
It gets worse. The courts are also poised to strike down the additional $10.7 billion of borrowing in Davis' last budget. It is not a pleasant financial situation. But it is also not impossible.
If the current rate of state spending were reduced 13.4 percent on January 1st and frozen through Gov. Schwarzenegger's first budget, the state would be back in the black, free and clear of external debt, and able to start the Governor's second year in 2005 with a clean slate.
A 13.4 percent reduction would mean cutting $5.2 billion from this years budget before January 1 and setting next year's budget at $66.6 billion. Thats a big cut and it means giving up billions of dollars of programmed spending increases next year. But it's still 15.2 percent more than California was spending when Gray Davis took office. And after 18 months of austerity, the Governor would be able to plan his second budget with $12 billion of breathing room in 2005 when revenues are projected to reach $78.6 billion.
Like a family that has faced its finances squarely and tightened its belt, California would be solidly back on its feet and looking toward a sunny future.
The alternative is to borrow the difference at heavy rates of interest over the next generation. Like a family that cant bear to change its ways, it would end up dragging its financial difficulties into future years as it struggles to meet its current expenses and pay down a crushing credit card debt as well.
These are the two roads diverging in the budget woods and the choice that is made in coming weeks may well determine whether California has the fresh financial start it deserves, or whether the ghost of Davis' excesses stalks a generation to come."
Ping
Some discouraging news while you're filing your state income tax returns this week...
as much as i agree Arnold is a RINO he is the only R that CA will elect nowadays - everyone else is in denial. Until the assembly elects more Rs there will be only so much that ANY Republican Governor could do.
And I am still waiting to see that story. It's a shame that Arnold is wasting his time with Terminator movies and with this silly political schtick in Sacramento when he could be making Conan movies (like Barbarian, not like that awful Destroyer).
And I am still waiting to see that story. It's a shame that Arnold is wasting his time with Terminator movies and with this silly political schtick in Sacramento when he could be making Conan movies (like Barbarian, not like that awful Destroyer).
I'd heard they were in pre-production on Conan the King but it got put on hold when he won the governor job. Being a big Conan fan myself I'm hoping he loses re-election.
I already filed in January - and I have my return already - I did it through TurboTax.
I would never attempt to file my own...
like representing myself in court...
I'd have a fool for a client! LOL
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