Tax Money In Sacred Pots Is One Reason For State's Huge Deficit (You Said It, George!)

Los Angeles Times ^ | 5/29/2008 | George "Slumberin" Skelton

[goldstategop]

Money, money everywhere and not a buck to spend -- at least from the barrels of billions locked up by ballot-box budgeting.

That money can only be spent on specific programs previously approved by voters. It can't be used to help balance the books in Sacramento or pay down the state's rising debt or avoid slashing programs for the elderly poor and disabled.

Ballot-box budgeting usually involves a noble cause with an ignoble means: snatching a tax source or raiding the treasury at the expense of other public needs.

The frequent knock on the Legislature is that it won't get off the dime and do something, so the people are forced to act through the initiative process.

But often there's a reason the Legislature balks. It is because the proposed action would not be smart, particularly if it creates another spending program. There might be a better use for the money.

[goldstategop]

Lefty George "Slumberin" Skelton opens a window into California's bizarre ballot box budgeting. There are billions of dollars locked up in special funds that can't be transferred to the state's general fund even though California is looking at a huge $15 billion dollar deficit. All to protect special interests whose claims on the state treasury are parochial. Usually Skelton just bashes conservatives but even a Lefty can be right once in California blue moon.

"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 San Diego]

Maybe I am naeive(sp?), but, is it possible to download the state budget into an Excel spreadsheet and then work with the numbers? And then download into a Power Point presentation that would show the governor, the legislature, and the people the nature of the problem? I don’t think that people really understand how the state can be running consistent deficits all the time. Arnold allegedly fixed a lot of problems by negotiating increased slot machine payments from Indian tribes, for example. Has that money tailed off? Has income tax revenue tailed off? Have expenses continued to rise, even though they are cutting back certain high profile expenses such as education?

I just think that average citizens as well as the legislature need an education as to how all this works. I think the average citizen doesn’t need to be pandered to, and understands the concept of a balanced budget. And average citizens can understand that choices have to be made to reach a balanced budget. But with problems like ballot box budgeting putting funds aside for specific expenditures, clearly that’s part of the problem.

[NonValueAdded]

OTOH, ballot box budgeting is the only way the poor beleaguered taxpayer can be certain that the latest shakedown under the guise of a compelling cause (It’s For The Children) actually goes to that cause and nothing else. And if there is too much money in the pot for that cause, END THE TAX.

[camas]

there is also what is called “prior year money”. it is funds that are needed to close out a contract and may be years and years old.

[ridesthemiles]

OTOH, Gray Davis raided the states highway fund at least 2 times, and I think 3 times, leaving virtual IOU’s for repayment.
The money went into the General Fund, and paid for more welfare, campaigns against smoking and any other item you can think of.
The roads never got the timely repairs that were needed, and now the cost of the repairs is much higher and the damage is much worse than normal maintenance would have taken care of.
There is now talk of making INTERSTATE roads toll roads.
I don’t know how they can do that, unless they give 90% of the tolls to the Federal Government, since the Feds paid for 90% of the cost of the interstate system.
The entire Interstate system should be totally exempt from any tolls.