This was prepared in Dec. 04 so most probably excludes the $6 billion Stem Cell payback, as well. If people pass the "spending reform" initiative, more debt will be authorized and the number will grow even further.
Hello?!? Is anybody out there listening??? Does anybody care??? Is no one concerned??? Has everyone lost their sense of right and wrong about CA governance???
Many appear to have put their heads in the sand, SW. Just look at the media. Even Ray Haynes himself is not being totally straight. Take this excerpt:
The governor’s January budget was the model of restraint, with minimal increases in spending, realistic revenue projections, and solid budget priorities. It looked like the state would pull out of its problems all together.Then it happened.
The Legislature, whose spending sprees in the budgets between 1999 and 2001 cost Gray Davis his job, got hold of the governor’s January budget. Then the spending lobby, the thousands of adults who make money off of government, began an advertising blitz to hurt the governor’s image. Finally, the bureaucracy got their mitts on the increased revenue.
Then what happened? Who really took this "model of restraint" budget and delivered the monstrosity we have today? What he fails to state is that Arnold proposed $111.7 Billion budget in January of this year, a hefty increase from the prior year, that spent more than we take in, that still relied on borrowing, and left a deficit for the following years. Hardly a "model of restraint".
CA: Arnold proposes record spendingArnold then revised the budget in May, increasing spending by $4 billion when they found more revenue, much of it the result of accelerating income with special tax amnesties, etc. (Calif. gov. ups state spending plan to $115.7 bln )
CA: Analyst finds governor's budget a short-term fix, deficits still looms
CA: Budget analysis: Plan relies heavily on borrowing - $6 Billion
Instead of pointing the finger on those who should be held accountable, Haynes points to all those anonymous evil-ones ("legislature", "spending lobby", the "bureaucracy"). I am happy to see people like Haynes speaking out, but much of his assessment continues the myths about spending and blames some nameless bodies as being responsible.
This was prepared in Dec. 04 so most probably excludes the $6 billion Stem Cell payback, as well. If people pass the "spending reform" initiative, more debt will be authorized and the number will grow even further.